Final Hour
by becccccca
Summary: It started off as a bet, a plan. She fell for him, he didn't know what he wanted. Love can either save you or end you.
1. Just The Beginning

**I lost my muse for my FSoG fic, so I started a new one.**

* * *

**Just The Beginning.**

_Love is one of those things that can save you or end you.  
Love is so consuming it feels like you're drowning. It's one of those things that smothers you until you can't breathe and it's good, it's so heartbreakingly good.  
But when it all goes wrong, who will be there to save you? When your heart breaks piece by piece who will mend it for you? And so the daunting cycle continues ; love, heartbreak, new love, heartbreak.  
So here I am, wondering what the hell to do with my love. My love shows up, drunk and completely incomprehensible and expects me to nurse him and love him. But the truth is, I don't think I can.  
I don't think I have the strength in me to keep fighting this. I want to love him and forgive him, but where would that leave me? My mother warned me this would happen.  
My father didn't care enough to bother giving advice. And my love? He didn't seem to care either.  
I had fought with this for so long, I could no longer see a reason why. He shows up, making up for lost time with a bouquet of my least favourite flowers and apologises time and time again. My love is stupid. My love doesn't have a clue._

My sister, Alice was always the spoiled one.  
Always the one to get what she wanted, always the one to get away with anything.  
I envied her. She was the youngest, so naturally she would be spoiled, but there was a fine line between spoiled and her being the favourite. Before she came along, life was pretty much perfect.  
I got all the nice things, the attention, the love. And now? I'm lucky if I even get that last piece of the chocolate cake my mom bakes every Saturday afternoon.  
She sits, straight back, hair perfect, and expects everything handed to her on a silver platter. She was a duplicate. A duplicate of me.  
So here we are, sitting at the dinner table waiting for my mother's hard work to be placed in front of us.  
"Rosalie...elbows off the table." My father's stern look made me flinch. I was terrified of him. He was authoritative and mean.  
My mother on the other hand, was kind and careful. She was sweet and loving. Polar opposites were my parents.  
Alice sat, her hands carefully placed on her lap. She turned and smirked at me. How could a seven-year old be so annoying?  
"Here we are." My mother breezed through the door, warm plates in her hands. She smiled at each of us as she placed them before us.  
Alice made a face, "I don't like vegetables." She sighed, crossing her arms.  
I gripped my fork and narrowed my eyes. She didn't like much, did she?  
"Just give them to your sister." My father muttered. Of course, give them to me.

After dinner, I had to clean up. It was always me. Alice was too young even though I had to do it at her age.  
I cleaned the plates and the cutlery before placing them carefully back into their rightful places.  
We were a posh family, I suppose. A well off family. My father had money. My mother stayed at home and cleaned and prepared the food. It was too old-fashioned. Even the way we spoke. It was like we had walked right out of a scene from Little Women.  
I stared at my reflection in the cabinet glass and sighed. I didn't look fifteen. I barely passed for thirteen. My long blonde hair, always sitting perfect, was now tied up. My father hated that.

I sat by the fire, watching the flames dance around each other.  
I had school tomorrow. I didn't want to go. I never usually wanted to go. I had friends, quite a lot of them actually. I'm one of the popular girls, one of the girls you only dreamed about being in school. But I'm never allowed to dress the way some of my friends do.  
My mother would have a heart attack and my father would probably never let me see daylight again.  
I'm not even allowed to wear makeup. Well, I can wear lip gloss, but that's about it. My skin is 'too perfect' apparently.  
My mother sighed as she sat next to me, "Your sister isn't well." She told me as she played with a strand of my hair, "I don't think she'll be going to school tomorrow."  
I resisted the urge to roll my violet eyes. There wasn't a thing wrong with her, I could tell you that.  
"I'm going to bed." I kissed my mother's cheek before I stood and left the lounge. I couldn't be bothered with this anymore.

"Are you jealous?" Alice sat across from me, swinging her legs.  
I sighed and continued to pack my lunch.  
"Well? Are you?"  
"Should I be?" I muttered.  
She was gloating. Completely bragging about the fact that she didn't need to go to school.  
I turned away from her and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.  
"Yeah, you should be. I don't have to go to school and you do." She laughed and jumped down from the chair.  
I rolled my eyes, "We go to completely different schools, Al. I couldn't give a sh-"  
"Rosalie!" My mother stood, hand on her hip. Great.  
"Sorry." I mumbled. I dropped my lunch bag and water into my bag before I hitched it onto my shoulder.  
I kissed my mother's cheek, flipped off the sister when my mother wasn't looking and then left the house.

I enjoyed walking to school. It was something that never bored or annoyed me. I liked the cold air stinging my face and the smell of the nearby cafés. It was even better today. I was walking by myself.  
No annoying little sister talking continuously in my ear. Bliss.

I met my friends at the school gate. Jessica, Bella, Renata. But where was Angela?  
I linked arms with Bella, she was my best friend out of them all. She was wild, careless and completely reckless, but I loved her like a sister. "Angela's over there...with Eric." Bella whispered into my ear. She smirked and glanced across the parking lot.  
I followed her line of sight and shook my head. "I wish they would just tell everybody." I muttered. It was getting old now. They had been 'secretly' dating for a few weeks now. We had to put up with her constantly talking about him and denying any interest in him all at once. Bella nodded in agreement.  
Renata popped her bubblegum and sighed, "I really didn't want to come in today." She whined. Everyday is the same, she always has some form of excuse. "I didn't do that English essay and my teacher is gonna kill me." She leaned against Jessica and sighed, "Pray for me guys." She was over dramatic.  
Jessica inspected herself in her little silver compact she carried around with her. "Oh my fuck, look at this." She snapped the compact closed and pointed at her forehead. The three of us looked.  
Right above her eyebrow was a huge spot. Jessica was the vain one.  
Bella burst into laughter and pointed, "Ew. Look at that thing."  
I nudged her side gently and shook my head, "Shut up." It wouldn't be long before Jessica went off in a mood.  
"I know right?!" She opened her compact again and started poking at it, "Ugh, it could have its own fucking moon!"  
The bell rang then, causing us all to sigh.  
Bella nudged me and nodded her head towards Angela and Eric.  
We both watched as they kissed each other goodbye.  
"How fucking horrid." She mumbled.  
I faked a smile in a fake agreement. I thought it was rather cute.

I flicked through my book, trying to find the page the teacher was preaching from. I was so disorganised.  
"Miss Hale, are you having trouble trying to find the page?" He raised a brow, and set his book down on his desk.  
The class stopped and stared at me.  
I shook my head, "No. Page 42, I have it." I held up my book and smiled.  
He frowned, lifted his book and continued where he left off. That teacher hated me.  
"The civil rights movement of the 1960s also saw a surge of Ku Klux Klan activity..." He droned on and on and I couldn't be bothered listening to him.  
I stared out of the window and watched the birds fly out of their nests.  
"Oh, Edward. How nice of you to join us." I turned to the door just in time to see Edward Cullen, Bella's boyfriend, walk through the door.  
He smiled at me and went to his seat. He was thirty minutes late.  
He thought of himself as such a badass when really he was just a fool.  
I still thought Bella was lucky to have him. I was the only single one in my circle of friends. It bothered me. My friends didn't flaunt their boyfriends infront of me, infact, Bella hardly even spoke to Edward in school. Their relationship, I guess, was just casual.  
My father always told me I was too young to be having boyfriends, let alone thinking about having one. I was too sheltered, too protected.  
I hadn't even done half the things my friends had done.  
Despite Bella being my best friend, I'd hardly see her outside of school. She would be out with Edward, or other people doing things she shouldn't be. I sometimes wondered what that was like, to have no limitations, to have no cares. The thought seemed inviting.  
"Rosalie!" He slammed his hand down on the desk and I jumped. I looked up at the teacher and sighed. I was in trouble now.  
"When was The Great Depression?" He demanded.  
I knew this. I bit my lip and looked down at my book, "Uhh.." I knew this. "19..1930?" I guessed.  
His expression softened, "Very good." He turned and began to write information on the board. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Dicks. The lot of them." Jessica sighed as she picked at her sandwich.  
Renata nodded and ran a hand through her auburn hair, "I agree."  
I stared at them both. I had no idea who or what they were talking about.  
Jessica rolled her eyes and pointed across the cafeteria, "Them." She told me. I turned. Oh. Emmett, Edward, Mike, Eric and Jasper.  
I turned back to my friend and raised a brow, "What did they do?" I was curious.  
"Nothing." Renata answered, "Fuck all. Not a thing." She sighed and rested her head on her hand. I was confused.  
Bella sat down beside me and began to massacre her bagel just as Angela sat by Jess.  
"What we talking about?" Bella mumbled around a mouthful of food.  
Renata sighed, "The boys." She shrugged and inspected her nails.  
Jessica nodded, "I was just saying they are dicks." She smiled sweetly and Bella rolled her eyes.  
"Edward isn't." She responded.  
Jessica sighed, "No. Of course he isn't." She rolled her eyes and stood up, "Anyway, I've got to go to French."  
Bella couldn't stop from giggling, "French? Oh! Is this cause your teacher is super hot and you want 'help' so you can perv on him?" She wiggled her eyebrows and smirked.  
Jessica gave her the finger and then sauntered off.  
I brushed crumbs from my lap and sighed, "My history teacher hates me." I took a sip from my water and glanced at the big clock above the door of the cafeteria.  
"See?" Renata squeaked, "Guys are dicks."

"It's Monday, I really don't see my mom letting me out tonight Bells." I twirled the phone wire around my finger and sighed.  
"Your mom is so boring. It's not like you'll be out all night. I'll have you home by ten!" She whined, "Can you please go and ask her? Please, please, please, please?!" She begged.  
I sat the phone down on the table and wandered into the lounge where my mom sat, knitting. "Mom?"  
She looked up and smiled warmly, "Yes?"  
"Bella is on the phone and she..."  
"It's a school night, Rose. You know you're not allowed out on a school night." She returned to her knitting.  
I gritted my teeth and returned to the phone, "She says no." I whispered.  
"Oh big fucking surprise there then." Bella snapped.  
I flinched, "I'm sorry. You know what she's like."  
"Yeah. Anyway, I better go. Edward will be here soon. Laters." The line disconnected. I sighed deeply and hung up. What a life I had.

"You do know I'm the favourite, right?" Alice skipped around the kitchen as I cleaned up the dinner plates. I ignored her.  
I didn't want to acknowledge her existence right now.  
"I mean, it must really annoy you to see me get everything I want." She continued, "You never get anything."  
I hummed quietly to myself, trying to drown her out. Seven years old and she was a stuck up bitch.  
I placed the plates back into the cabinet and turned to the child, "How is that horrible cough you had?" I asked.  
Alice shrugged, "It's fine." I smirked and went back to the cabinet and picked up the bottle of Robitussin, the worst tasting medicine ever, "So you don't need this?" I raised a brow and watched her eyes widen.  
"That is disgusting." She whispered.  
I sat it down on the work top and smiled, "I know, Alice."

"Nothing is ever perfect." Jessica sighed.  
We were all lying on her bed staring at the ceiling. Bella munched on chocolate while Angela played on her phone and Renata painted her toenails.  
I frowned, "It's not the end of the world." I told her.  
She sat up, "Are you kidding me? Mike dumped me." She glared at me and I looked away from her.  
"You'll get back together, you always do." I reminded her.  
"Yeah, we do, don't we?" She lay back down and smiled to herself.  
"Do you think Rose will get a boyfriend this year?" Bella asked, taking another bite from her chocolate bar.  
I could feel the blood rushing to my face, "Bella!" I threw a pillow at her and ignored her laugh.  
"I think so." Renata smiled at me and placed the vial of pink nail polish on the table by the bed, "Emmett keeps giving you these looks..." Emmett? I shivered and shook my head, "No." I didn't like him that way at all.  
"Rosalie Hale, that is so mean of you!" Jessica mocked.  
Angela smiled, "What's wrong with Emmett?" She wondered.

There was nothing wrong with Emmett. I just didn't want Emmett. I wanted someone completely different. I wanted that badass boy Bella had.


	2. Precious Girl

**Precious Girl.**

I always wondered what it would be like to see things in a different point of view.  
Would it be the same as I saw things? Or would it be completely different?  
Sometimes I wanted to bury my head in the sand. I was never good enough. But to my parents, I was precious, their precious girl. If they knew how I really felt, they wouldn't think that.

My mother slaved over the stove, cooking our meal. She turned her head and smiled at me, I didn't smile back. I didn't want to nor did I feel the need to.  
She frowned and turned away as she dished out the food. I wasn't hungry. I just wanted to hide in my room, do my homework and sleep.  
Alice ran down the stairs, pushing me out of the way. "Move!" She growled. She took her seat at the table and grinned at my father, but he was too busy reading a paper.  
I sighed and sat opposite the little rat.  
"How was school today then?" My father asked, setting the paper down. He glanced at Alice first and then to me.  
I opened my mouth to respond but the child cut me off. My father's attention turned to Alice. Then, my mother joined us and we began to eat.  
All attention focused on Alice. All but mine.  
There were so many things I had wanted to say to them. Like at lunch, Bella had completely missed the last two stairs and went flying into the wall, and Jessica and Mike getting back together. And then, of course, Angela and Eric finally being open about their relationship. But all of that seemed mediocre now that Alice was speaking.  
Would it make much of a difference if I suddenly disappeared? If I ran away? I knew thinking things like that was horrible, but I couldn't help it.  
Maybe it would be better. Alice would get all the attention and everything would go on as usual. No one would even notice I was gone.

"Ugh, what a sight." Bella narrowed her eyes and shook her head at the scene before us. "I mean, it's so obvious that Mike's whipped."  
We watched as he carried Jessica's tray to our table. Jessica flicked her hair and smiled sweetly at him before she took a seat and waved him off.  
I watched as he sulked off. Poor Mike. No wonder he kept breaking up with her.  
"That's a little mean, don't you think?" I raised an eyebrow and glanced at her.  
She frowned, feinging innocence, "I don't know what you mean."  
Bella snorted and opened her can of Coke, "You have him eating out the palm of your hand, bitch."  
Jessica rolled her eyes, "It's not like that." She muttered. She tored her bagel apart and smiled, "And anyway, he doesn't complain. I make it up to him." She smiled devilishly.  
I held up my hands, "Stop. Please."  
They laughed and I cringed. It was just the way it went.

Math.  
With Emmett.  
With Renata.  
With Edward.  
Renata and I sat at a table behind Edward and Emmett. We liked to throw things at the backs of their heads. We are an immature pair.  
Mr Williams marched in and set his planner on his desk. His frown was permanent. He reminded me of a goat. I really old goat. I hated him, I hated all my teachers.  
Renata rolled her eyes as goat face began to write up todays work. Trig.  
I could never say the full word, I always stumbled around letters and I ended up adding an extra 'm'.  
I sighed and opened up my book and notepad. I noticed Emmett looking at me from the corner of his eye. I didn't get butterflies.  
Edward sat, earphones in, head in hands, groaning in protest.

The class dragged on. A double period.  
Renata doodled on her notepad while I counted the ceiling tiles.  
"Renata." His voice made me stop what I was doing to glance at his precious face, even though it wasn't me he called on.  
Renata smiled and nodded, "Yeah?"  
"Since it's Friday, Jasper is having a party tonight. Wanna go? Bella and I are going, I think Jessica is too." He smiled.  
Renata nodded and Emmett smirked, "Angela can't go. She's baby sitting."  
Edward turned to me and smiled, his eyes were narrowed slightly, "We'd invite you, but we know your mom is gonna say no." He chuckled.  
I narrowed my eyes, "It's Friday, she let's me out on a Friday." My voice was sharper than intended.  
His laugh was low, "Yeah, but to a party? C'mon precious girl." He shook his head and turned away.  
Butterflies. I had butterflies now.

"Just tell her you're staying at mine. She won't mind. She's let you stay before." Bella mumbled as we walked to the gates.  
I sighed, "Yeah, and then she calls your mom to check on me, asks to speak to me and I'm not there."  
She chewed her lip, "That is quite the problem."  
"I'll ask anyway. Hopefully I'll convince her."  
We hugged goodbye and left in our seperate directions.

I closed the front door behind me and took a deep breath. I could hear the sound of the radio coming from the kitchen. My father was still at work.  
Alice was already home, making a big mess all over the kitchen table with her homework. I dropped my bag at the foot of the stairs and then went to talk to my mother.  
She was sitting with a cup of tea. She seemed like she was in a good mood.  
I smiled and sat opposite her, ignoring my sister's tut of disapproval at being so close to her.  
"Mom?"  
She smiled.  
"Can I stay with Bella tonight?"  
She frowned, "Tonight?"  
I did just say 'tonight' didn't I? I nodded.  
She chewed her lip, clearly she was taking some time to think about the dangers of me sleeping over at a friend's house. The horror of her daughter even having friends.  
Eventually she sighed and nodded.  
I grinned and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Alice frowned, "That's so unfair."  
I smirked at her and skipped up to my room. Time to call Bella.

After dinner was over and I had cleaned up, I quickly packed my things and made my way to my father's Mercedes. He was going to drop me off at Bella's.  
"I'll call you at ten. Make sure your phone is charged! Be careful!" My mom called out. Jesus, it wasn't like I was leaving for a whole weekend.

The drive to Bella's was awkward. My father and I didn't speak much.  
I stared out of the window, watching the trees and birds fly by.  
"Good day at school?" He asked, breaking the silence.  
I shrugged, "It was okay." I had gave up trying to tell them the events in school, they never listened anyway so there was no point.  
My father nodded and cleared his throat, "I hope you're studying really hard this year, Rosalie. We don't want you to drop out and end up with some silly, underpaid job."  
The thought of that for him, was enough to disown me entirely as a daughter.  
I sighed, "I am. But I need a break every now and then. That's why I'm staying with Bella tonight."  
"Don't make a habit out of it." Was his last words before I climbed out of the car. I didn't even bother thanking him.

Jasper's parents didn't care what he done. They left him to do whatever he wanted.  
He may have only been a year older, but he was so much different from any of the other boys.  
I was dressed simply in jeans and a jumper. Bella, on the other hand, was dressed in a skirt so short it barely covered her.  
Why was she my best friend?  
She grabbed my hand and pulled me through the crowd inside Jasper's house.  
She released me once she found _him._  
He draped his arm over her shoulder and kissed her. I was so jealous.  
He pulled back and caught my eye. He smiled, "So you came then?" He held his hand up for a high-five, but I rolled my eyes and walked away.  
The music was so loud, I could barely hear my thoughts.

I sat at the top of the stairs and sighed. I was never much of a party-goer, but I hated being left out of things.  
Renata climbed the stairs and dropped herself next to me. She stunk of alcohol.  
My eyes widened, "Are you okay?"  
Her eyes were glazed over and she was smiling like an idiot.  
"Are you...are you drunk?" I asked the obvious.  
She giggled and put a finger over my mouth, "Shhhh."  
I couldn't believe it. We were fifteen!  
I stood up and rushed down the stairs, trying to find my friend.  
I saw Jasper and Emmett leaning against the wall, beers in hand.  
Edward and Bella grinding. Ugh.  
Jessica and Mike arguing. What a surprise.  
I stood in the middle of them all and crossed my arms. I wanted to go home, well to Bella's.  
Edward's hand clamped down on my shoulder, "What's up, precious girl?" He asked.  
I shrugged him off, "Don't call me that."  
He chuckled, held his hands up and backed away.  
Jasper approached us and frowned, "What's going on?"  
Edward shrugged, "Our precious girl over there looks like she wants to go home."  
"Don't fucking call me that!" I hissed. My hand clamped over my mouth.  
Bella broke into laughter, "Rosalie Hale, did you just..._swear_?"  
I nodded slowly. I did.  
Bella laughed and grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the stairs, "Come to the bathroom with me." She called over the music as we climbed the stairs.  
I didn't really have a choice, did I?

Nothing ever goes right. Even when you have everything perfectly planned, it never goes accordingly.  
Everyone spends their whole life preparing for certain things, just for them to get destroyed. Hopes. Dreams. Love. Life.  
Everything has a beginning and everything has an end, nothing lasts forever. Not even love.

I returned home to the smell of my mother's home made chocolate cake and tears.  
She was sitting by the fire, drying her eyes.  
Alice was nowhere to be seen and my father was upstairs, I heard his footsteps.  
"Mom?" I sat beside her and frowned.  
She turned to me and smiled through her tears, "Oh my precious girl." She pulled me into a hug and buried her face in my hair.  
"What's wrong?" I whispered.  
She held me at arms length and sighed, "Your father and I...we've decided..." She trailed off and wiped away some more tears, "We decided it would be beter for us all to get a divorce."

Love broke her.


	3. Goodbye Dreams

**Goodbye Dreams.**

You always think your friends will be there for you, don't you? You always think that they'll support you in your decisions and help you through the consequences of your mistakes. You assume that they understand you, you think they give the best advice they can possibly give.  
But what if it's all lie? Friendship. That ends just like love.  
There is no point in building a 'foundation' with someone just for your heart to be broken.  
I'm a pessimist, I can't help that.  
People use you, people abuse you. They give a half hearted apology and expect to be brought back into your life, arms wide open for them just for it to happen again.  
People never learn. We make the same mistakes every single time just to get the same result and maybe, possibly, learn from it.  
But we never do.

"I hate dad." Alice lay on the couch, staring at the ceiling. She had cried most of the night. She waited until dad left. He was booking into a hotel.  
I sighed, "You don't mean that." I sat by the fire, staring, just staring. I was too numb to feel the pain of this. I couldn't cry.  
I knew their marriage had cracks beyond repair. I was old enough to see them. Alice, she was just a kid. She didn't know anything of love yet. I wish it could stay that way for her.  
"Yes I do. Mum's upset and he doesn't care. He doesn't care that we're upset!" She was angry.  
"He does. He just..." I couldn't finish my sentence. Because she was right. He didn't care.  
Alice sat up and sighed, "He said he's coming back tomorrow to get the rest of his things."  
I nodded but remained silent.  
"Do you think...do you think they'll get back together?" She whispered.  
I turned to face her. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. I shook my head, "I don't think so."  
"I was afraid you'd say that."

Alice went off to bed and I stayed sitting in the lounge.  
My mother had went to bed almost three hours ago. She had a headache from crying.  
I began to worry. What were we supposed to do? This was my father's house. He'd want it back. We'd have to move and my mom would have to get a job. I'd have to get a job. We relied on my father far too much.  
How would we get by? How would we survive? Would I have to move school? Make new friends?  
My stomach churned at the thought.

"Can't say I'm surprise, Rose." Jessica shrugged as she drew a plant cell into her notebook, "Your parents never seemed to be..._in love, _if you get what I mean?"  
I chewed my lip. How could she be so heartless about this? Couldn't she see her friend was upset? I merely nodded.  
"Your dad didn't even seem like the kind of person who gave a shit about you anyway."

"I'm sorry to hear about your parents. That must really suck." Bella embraced me and sighed quietly, "I'm here if you wanna talk, okay?"  
I smiled and nodded. That was a friend. She and Angela seemed to be the only ones that cared.  
Renata wasn't in school that day. She was off sick. She was probably hungover from the three parties she had went to over the weekend. Jasper's on Friday, her cousin's eighteenth on Saturday, and on the Sunday? Some random's party she had met on the Saturday.  
So I sat in math alone. Well, I had Emmett and Edward, but they hardly spoke to me without Renata being there.  
Emmett turned to get a better look at me, "Bella told us about your parents." He whispered.  
I gritted my teeth. This was all I was getting today. 'I'm sorry about your parents.' 'Are you okay?' 'What happened?' 'How's Alice?' 'I'm here if you need me.'  
I had just about had enough.  
I managed to give a small smile back at him.  
He smiled back, "I'm here if you want to talk about...well anything really."  
"Thanks Emmett." I whispered.  
Edward remained facing the front. Dick.

I came home to arguing. And more tears.  
I dumped by bag by the stairs and sat on the bottom step next to Alice. She had her hands over her ears.  
I sighed and put my arm around her.  
"This is my house! I want you and the kids to leave, find a house somewhere, I don't care. I just want you gone!" My father bellowed.  
I shook my head. He was disgusting.  
Alice buried her head in my shoulder, "Make them stop." She whispered.  
I wish I could.  
"Think of the kids! When will they see their father?"  
"There's weekends."  
I closed my eyes and let the tears finally fall. I never knew this would be how it all ended.  
When the arguing finally stopped, Alice and I slowly made our way into the kitchen.  
My father was at one end, sipping on Whiskey, and my mother was at the other end, glaring at my father.  
When she saw us, she faked a smile and opened her arms for us. Alice ran to her, but I stayed back.  
I stared at my dad, conveying every ounce of disappointment in that one stare.  
He turned away.  
"We're going to your grandma's house." My mother told us.  
I sighed. Great. Her house smelled like chicken and broth. I hated it.

There wasn't enough room for us.  
Alice and I had to share a bed.  
My mom slept on the couch.  
And that smell was still there.

After my shower, I stared at my reflection and sighed.  
I didn't look like me anymore. I had been through the most awful thing a child or teenager could ever go through.  
I could feel myself changing and I hated it.  
Slowly, I combed through my damp, tangled hair. How could I have stopped the inevitable?  
My life was perfect. And now look. Parents seperated, living at my grandma's house, no money. Could we even recover from this?

I slowly made my way into the bedroom I shared with Alice, and sat on the bed.  
She sat up, "Does Bella know what's happened?" She whispered in the darkness.  
I nodded, "Yeah. She says we can talk to her if we wanted." She really meant that.  
Alice crawled over to me and rested her head on my shoulder, "I'm sorry for acting so spoiled and bratty."  
I closed my eyes and smiled, "It's okay." I whispered, "I'm sorry for being such a crap big sister."  
"That's okay."  
I laughed quietly, "We should get to sleep. We have school tomorrow." I nudged her off me gently and climbed under the duvet. She copied me and snuggled under.  
"Night, Rose."  
"Goodnight, Alice." I whispered back.  
"I love you." She whispered.

Jessica, Angela, Renata and I were all quiet through lunch.  
Bella sighed, "You guys fucking bore me to tears, you know that?" She sipped her Coke and glanced at the four of us.  
I smiled apologetically.  
Jessica looked up from her lunch tray and shrugged, "There's nothing to talk about." She replied.  
"How about the school dance?!" Bella squeaked, "Are you guys going?" She asked.  
I shrugged. The three girls nodded.  
Bella frowned, "You should go, Rosalie. It would take your mind off things."  
I wasn't sure a school dance would do that.  
She sighed, "Since it's Halloween, we've to dress up."  
"Well duh." Renata rolled her eyes and Bella stuck her tongue out at her.  
"I think I might go as Pam from True Blood." Jessica grinned.  
"The slut? Yeah!" Bella nodded and grinned back.  
Angela bit her bottom lip, "I'm not sure who I'm going as."  
"I'm gonna go as Cinderella!" Renata exclaimed, smiling widely, "She got her happy ending." She glanced at me and smirked.  
Bella noticed and sighed, "Sure. Everyone get's a happy ending at some point, right?"  
I glared at Renata, "If we had happy endings, we'd all be under gravestones."


	4. A Drunken Betrayal

Trust is a funny thing.  
You have to find the right person to confide in and even then , you're not entirely convinced they will keep your most deepest darkest secrets.  
If you find that person, then you're lucky.  
That person would do anything for you, maybe even die for you.  
Hold onto them. Cherish them.  
Because one day, you'll lose them and all you'll feel is sickening regret.

I stared at my reflection and smiled.  
My mother insisted I dressed as Marilyn Monroe.  
I had the height and looks for it, apparently.  
Alice stood beside me and smiled, "You look good." She breathed.  
My jaw dropped, "Alice Hale...did you just give me a compliment?" I asked in mock horror.  
She glared at me, "Don't get used to it." And then she walked off.

I had to admit, I looked amazing and I didn't care if I sounded big headed.  
Bella had arranged for her dad to pick me up on his way to the dance with Bella. My mother was actually okay with that. Shocker.  
After a quick kiss on my mother's cheek, an awkward embrace with my grandma and a high five with the sister, I was in Bella's car, driving off.  
I was excited.  
I wondered what the boys were wearing.  
I wondered what he was wearing.

I could feel the music under my feet, vibrating through the floor. It was loud, care free and happy.  
I stood by the punch bowl, watching u friends dance.  
Bella and Jessica were dancing together and Eric and Angela were dancing. Renatta was with Emmett.  
Edward hadn't shown up yet and Bella was growing impatient.  
"He told me he'd meet me here!" Bella whined when we arrived.  
"I'm sure he's on his way." I tried my best to reassure her, but an hour and three diet cokes later, he still hasn't shown.  
The song changed and my best friend made her way over to me, "You look bored." She commented as she got herself another drink.  
I smiled and shook my head, "No, I'm just not a dancer." I replied over the music.  
She nodded and linked arms with me, "Still no sign of him?"  
I sighed and shook my head. Sometimes, I think she could do better.  
She shrugged and faked a smile, "I'm going outside for fresh air."  
"I'll come with you." It was too hot in there, and there were too many people jumping around.  
When we got outside, I leaned against the wall and watched Bella squint up and the sky, "He's such a dick." She whispered.  
I smiled sympathetically, "There's still time. He'll show up. Have you tried calling him?" I asked.  
Bella nodded and looked at me, "No answer."

We went back inside.  
We found Angela and Jessica. Renata was still with Emmett.  
Mike stumbled over to us and draped his arm over my shoulder, "Can I let you into a little secret, princess?" He slurred into my ear.  
I already knew what this secret was. He had spiked the punch.  
I looked up into his weak eyes and smirked, "You spiked the punch, didn't you?"  
His eyes widened and his jaw dropped and I couldn't help but giggle. "Rosalie Hale, you do not tell a soul."  
I rolled my eyes and shook my head, "Wouldn't dream of it."  
He stalked off, back to his friends.  
Bella smirked and linked arms with Angela and Jessica, "I'm thirsty." She winked at me and made her way to the punch bowl.  
And that's when he walked in.  
He made James Dean mediocre.  
He spotted me and made his way over.  
My heart was beating over time and my palms were sweating.  
"Hey." He leaned against the wall and looked down at me. His black orbs connected with my violet eyes and I smiled, "Hi."  
He licked his bottom lip and looked me over, "Marilyn Monroe?" He smiled.  
I looked down at my dress and nodded self consciously. "What took you so long?" I asked.  
He frowned and looked away, out to the dance floor, "I didn't know that had anything to do with you, precious girl."  
I narrowed my eyes, he was right though, his whereabouts shouldn't concern me, but they did, "Bella was wondering where you were. I've had to put up with her whining about your lack of communication with her."  
He chuckled and shook his head, "Whatever." He pushed himself off the wall and went to find Bella, I presumed.

Jessica handed me a red paper cup and smiled, "Drink it." She ordered.  
I obeyed and made a face. "What did he put in it?" I choked.  
She laughed and shrugged, swirling her own cup's contents, "I dunno. But it's good, right?"  
Hardly. I nodded anyway and took another sip. I'm sure I would get used to it.  
"Where's Bella?" I asked her.  
Jessica shrugged again, "Her, Ren and Angela went outside with a few of the boys. I dunno where they are now though, they've been gone for ages."  
I nodded and looked into the liquid in my cup and took a deep breath. I glanced over at the wall which he was leaning on.  
He was watching me.  
I got those butterflies again.  
I turned back to Jessica and smiled, "I haven't seen you much tonight." I remarked.  
She grinned and finished her spiked punch, "I know. I've been having too much fun." She laughed and got herself some more liquid poison.  
I looked around, the teachers were having just as much fun as the rest of the students. They still looked out of place.  
Jessica turned back to me and smiled sweetly, "I'm going to the bathroom. Hold this." She handed me her paper cup and then began to push her way through the crowd of people.  
I looked back to Edward. I beckoned me over.  
I took a deep breath, downed my own cup of poison and then downed Jessica's. She wouldn't mind. She'd just get another.

"Thirsty?" Edward smirked and raised an eyebrow when I reached him.  
I nodded and looked up at him, "Yes."  
He brushed my hair behind my ear and smiled at me.  
What was he doing? What was going on? I shivered as his skin touched mine. He noticed, "Are you okay?"  
I nodded and smiled, "Great." I lied. I wasn't great. I was nervous and giddy and stupid little girl who was on dangerous waters. "Where's Bella?" I asked.  
He groaned and leaned his head back against the wall, "Can we just forget about her?" He whined.  
I frowned but nodded regardless. He took my hand and pulled me closer to him, "You do make a perfect Marilyn Monroe, precious girl." He whispered into my ear.  
I closed my eyes and smiled, "Don't call me that." I whispered back.  
I could feel him smile against my ear, "But that's what you are. You are precious."  
All thoughts of Bella and betrayal and friendship and regret left me as his lips touched mine for the first time.


	5. All So New

**All So New.**

Never take people for granted, that's what my mother always says.  
I guess I never really took the time to think of the consequences, the downfall of my friendships.  
Everything comes to an end, nothing lasts forever.  
I was just too blind to see that.

Our kiss ended and I looked up at him. I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks.  
He smirked.  
I frowned, the thoughts I had ignored filled my head and I felt guilty.  
"Bella." I breathed. I felt horrible.  
I backed away from him, how could I have done such a thing?  
"Rosalie! It was just a kiss." He laughed.  
Just a kiss. But to me, so much more.  
I had to get out of here. I turned on my heel an practically ran to the entrance.  
I breathed a sigh of relief when the cold night air hit my skin, cooling me down. I looked around for a familiar face.  
They must be all inside.  
Sighing, I walked around the building.  
There. In front of me. My best friend.  
She grinned when she saw me and I gave a small smile.  
"Do you wanna go home?" She asked, putting her arm around me.  
I nodded weakly, I did.  
She looked down at me and frowned, "Have you been drinking the punch?"  
I again, nodded.  
Bella laughed and led me to the frog gate after saying goodbye to the rest of our friends.  
"Shit. I forgot to say goodbye to Edward."  
I closed my eyes and sighed, "Text him." I suggested.  
I heard her sigh, "I'll be quick!"  
I opened my eyes and groaned quietly, she was leaving me here to say goodbye to her boyfriend who just kissed me. Perfect.

I fell asleep in the car on the way home. Bella nudged me awake, "Wake up. We're at your grandma's." She mumbled.  
I rubbed my eyes open and sat up, "Thanks for dropping me off." I said to her dad before I climbed out of their car.  
Bella rolled down the window, "I'll see you at school tomorrow!" She called to me as I closed the front door.  
I felt horrible and I wanted to sleep.  
My mother grinned at me, "Hey! How was the dance?" She was too enthusiastic for ten o'clock at night.  
I shrugged and sat on the chair opposite her, "It was okay."  
My grandma studied me carefully, "Would you like some tea, sweetheart?" She asked, standing.  
I nodded and smiled up at her. Tea would be good.  
"Alice is in bed. She wanted to stay up for you coming home so she could hear about the dance...but she only lasted an hour." She smiled and shook her head as if it was a fond memory.  
I yawned, "I'll tell her about it tomorrow." I promised myself.  
"It's good you two are finally getting along." She glanced at me. She was glad at this.  
I smiled and nodded. Guess that's what usually happens when your parents break up.

I dropped my dress to the floor and slowly pulled on my pyjamas.  
Tonight was good. And exciting and amazing and everything I did and didn't want it to be.  
I had kissed Edward Cullen, my best friend's boyfriend. What kind of a friend was I? What kind of a boyfriend was he?  
I began to take my makeup off, hardly caring about the length of time I took.  
I needed time to process the night's events. Everything was so messed up and erratic. He said I really was precious, did he mean that? Or was he too messed up to realise what he said?  
There was no point in falling in love with Edward, I was already broken. I could still be fixed.  
But loving Edward would make me i fixable, unloveable.  
I would hate what I would become.

"So there he was, in all his glory, standing there just looking all beautiful." Jessica stared dreamily at Mike from afar and describe her night to us. "I sat there, just staring. He told me to, and I did."  
Renata made a face and turned away. Angela went bright red and looked down at her sandwich.  
Bella, on the other hand, frowned and tilted her head, "What did it taste like?" She wondered.  
Jessica turned her attention to my friend and smirked, "Salt."  
"Salt? Edward is fruity." She responded.  
I almost choked.  
Jessica laughed and shrugged, "Every guy is different, I guess." She munched on her apple and threw the core into the nearby trash can.  
Renata sighed deeply and drummed her fingers on the table, "Do you think that new guy Alec is hot?" She asked us all.  
Alec Knight. He transferred here from Chicago. He had already made friends with the boys.  
I stayed silent during lunchtime discussions, there wasn't much I could input.  
Bella nodded, "Fuck yeah. Have you seen those eyes of his?" She bit her bottom lip and shook her head.  
Angela shrugged, "He's okay...I suppose." She went back to staring at her sandwich. She was so weird.  
Bella nudged me, "What do you think?"  
I looked up to find four pairs of eyes staring at me.  
I shrugged, "I haven't seen him so I don't know."  
Jessica rolled her eyes, "Well turn the fuck around, he's sitting with Jasper. "  
I did as I was told and set eyes on the new comer.

"You weren't supposed to freak the fuck out, Rosalie." Bella laughed as we walked to English together.  
My cheeks flushed crimson and I sighed, "I know. I'm such an idiot."  
I didn't know what came over me when I set eyes on his flawless baby face.  
I definately understood why Renata was in a constant daydream over him.  
His dark chocolate eyes were something I could easily lose myself in.  
We took our seats in the class and opened our books.  
My teacher entered, looking stressed and tired. I didn't care for her that much, she was nice enough, but I made sure never to bond with my teachers.  
She smiled at us all and took her seat by her desk, "Did everyone enjoy the dance last night?" She asked us.  
There were low mumbles from the class. She laughed and flicked her dark hair over her shoulder, "I know I had a good time." She smiled to herself and then cleared her throat, "Page fifty." She declared, flicking through her own book.  
"She must have had a good time...look at that hickey!" Bella whispered to me.  
I rolled my eyes. I didn't want to know about my teacher's sex life.

I couldn't follow the story. I couldn't concentrate. I kept thinking of that stupid kiss.  
Everytime I looked at Bella, I felt guilt. I almost told her numerous times throughout the day.  
If I told her, she'd be crushed. Our friendship would be over and I was positive the rest of my friend's would take Bella's side and ignore me too.  
I twisted blonde hair around my finger and sighed.  
The truth had a way of coming out one way another. It always did.  
I was dreading that day.

"So?" Alice finished off her glass of milk and stared at me with wide eyes.  
"So what?" I muttered.  
She tutted, "How was the dance? I didn't see you this morning or last night. Spill." She was so eager to know the gossip.  
I shrugged, "It was...good." I smiled and sat opposite her at the kitchen table.  
"Just good? Nothing happened?" She frowned.  
"Nope." I lied easily, "Nothing happened."  
She was seven. She didn't need to know.  
"We're going to dad's tomorrow." She informed me quietly.  
"I know."  
"Do you think he'll be happy to see us?"  
Poor girl. She was taking this break up worse than me.  
"I don't know, Al." I answered honestly. He wasn't one to convey much emotion.  
She fell silent and drew circles on the table.  
"If he's an ass, we'll just come right back here." I promised her. I reached across the table and took her hand.  
She looked up at me and sighed, "I hope he won't be." She whispered.  
So did I.  
The front door closed and my grandma toddled in, bags in her hands, "Hello!" She grinned at us both and set the bags on the table between my sister and I.  
I smiled back.  
"I just popped out for some shopping. Your mom is at work still." She told us as she began to unpack.  
I stood up and began to help her.  
"Oh no, leave it dear. I'll get this myself. Away you go and do your homework." She kissed my forehead and carried on unpacking.  
Alice jumped up and followed me upstairs.  
I flopped down onto the bed and checked my phone.  
I had a text.

_"I need to see_ you."

I took a deep breath and replied : _"When?"_

The reply was instant : _"Now."_


	6. Regret

**Regret. **

People change. Life goes on.

I grabbed my jacket and put my shoes back on. I was nervous, should I be?  
"Where are you going?" Alice demanded, looking up at me from her homework.  
"Library." I lied.  
She rolled her eyes and returned to her homework.  
I quickly left the room and quietly made my way downstairs. My mum wasn't home yet, thank God.  
"I have to go to the library." I told my grandma. She nodded and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. And then I was free to leave.

I stood by the swings at the nearby park and looked around.  
"You came."  
I turned, took a deep breath and nodded, "I had to."  
My stomach was doing summersaults and my hands were shaking. Should I have done as I was told and came here?  
"Bella doesn't know about..." He trailed off and sat on one of the swings.  
I looked down at the grass and nodded, "Right."  
I shifted uncomfortably during the awkward silence. What exactly was this meeting about?  
"Was that all you wanted to tell me?" I asked quietly.  
He swung slowly, "No." He replied, "I wanted to tell you that it was a mistake."  
I was afraid of that. I didn't look up at him, my eyes stung and my throat hurt. It was stupid to get this upset over a kiss. Just a kiss.  
"Like you said, Edward, it was just a kiss." I looked up at him and faked a smile.  
He narrowed his eyes and nodded once.

"How was the library?"  
I buried my face into my pillow and cried quietly.  
"Rose?" Alice sat by me and tapped my shoulder lightly, "Are you okay?"  
"I'm fine." I sniffed.  
I heard her sigh and leave the room.  
I was stupid. So stupid to even think that I meant something to him. Even remotely something.  
The whole situation was stupid.  
He was stupid. Bella was stupid.  
I was stupid. Stupid for even falling in love with him.

The drive to my father's was boring and depressing.  
Alice was dreading it. She didn't want to see him. I wasn't sure I did either.  
A lot had changed in the past two weeks. A lot that my father didn't know about. A lot that my father probably wouldn't care about.  
The car stopped by the driveway and my mom turned to look at both of us. She smiled, "Have fun girls. I'll be back to get you tomorrow." She watched as we grudgingly got out of the car.  
"He'll be happy to see us." Alice whispered. She had such hope.  
I opened the door and stepped inside. The house looked exactly the same. He didn't exactly do the re-decorating he said he was going to do.  
Alice dropped her bag by the stairs and wandered into the lounge.  
I went straight up to my room.  
I pushed open the door and sighed.  
It was cold and lonely.  
This wasn't a home.  
"Nice of you to say hello." He mumbled.  
I turned and shrugged, "Hello."  
He chuckled and shook his head, "I know you don't want to be here, Rosalie. But at least pretend to be happy...for your sister's sake?"  
I couldn't believe what he was saying to me.  
"Are you serious? Nothing about this situation makes me happy! We live with grandma and you, you just carry on like we're fine. You don't care!" I had to get it out. I had to tell him how I felt, "Alice thinks you hate us. She thinks you're never happy to see us. Tell me how I can be happy when my little sister thinks that?"  
My father rubbed his forehead and sighed, "Don't ever talk to me like that again." He spoke quietly but authoritatively. He then turned to go down stairs.  
I marched over to my door and slammed it shut.  
I didn't want to be here.

**EDWARD**

I was such a fucking idiot.  
All I feel is regret. An overwhelming sense of regret.  
If Bella knew what had happened between Rosalie and I, she'd kill me.  
Despite it only being a kiss, there was something there. Something between us. She was precious.  
I tried to remember my reason for doing what I did. I wasn't drunk. I wasn't high. I just really wanted to.

I stared at Emmett and exhaled sharply. He grinned at me and continued eating his cereal. He was backwards. Cereal at night?  
"Seriously dude, you look so fucking depressed. What's up?" He spoke with his mouth full, making me sigh and look away.  
"Nothing. I'm fine." I replied quietly.  
I knew I had to set things straight with Rose. I had to make her realise nothing could happen.  
I lifted my phone, ignoring my brother as he raised an eyebrow, and texted her : I need to see you.  
I stood and left the kitchen.  
"Have you done your homework?" My mom asked me as I walked by.  
I sighed and nodded, "Yup. Done it before dinner."  
She smiled and patted my shoulder.  
I climbed the stairs slowly and went to my room.  
Why hadn't she replied yet? This whole thing was bittersweet. It was painful and addicting and I hated it. My phone buzzed and immediately grabbed it. It was her : When? I quickly typed out my reply : Now.

I had arranged to meet her at the nearby park, it was within walking distance for the both of us. The air was cold and bitter. A perfect autumn night. I smiled to myself when I saw her. She was standing by the swings, hands in her pockets trying to keep warm. "You came." I stated as I approached her. She turned, her violet eyes meeting mine, "I had to." She whispered. I nodded and sat on one of the swings, "Bella doesn't know about..." I trailed off. Of course she knew Bella didn't know. "Right." She sounded upset, mad. It was awkward. I wanted to reach out and hold her, keep her warm. "Was that all you wanted to tell me?" She muttered. "No." I replied, "I wanted to tell you that it was a mistake." My words killed her. I could tell. Her eyes started watering. Don't cry, precious girl. "Like you said, Edward. It was just a kiss." Her eyes met mine and she smiled. My eyes narrowed and I nodded. She was lying. It meant something to her. Just like it meant something to me.

She left and I left. I may as well go see Bella. I texted her to let her know I was on my way. She opened the front door and pulled me inside. I laughed and snaked my arms around her small waist. "What took you so long?" She looked up at me and grinned. I smiled back and kissed her forehead, "I walked slowly."

Right now, with Bella, it felt so fucking wrong.


	7. Another Day

**Another Day.**

**EDWARD**

I could go on pretending I felt nothing for her. I could go on pretending I was happy with Bella.  
I was fifteen. I didn't know what the fuck I wanted.  
But I did know I had to stop lying to myself. I was pining for something I probably would never have.

I sat with Jasper and Emmett at lunch.  
Alec, the new guy, was over chatting the girls up.  
He got under my skin.  
Rosalie seemed oblivious to him, she was too busy texting on her phone.  
Bella smiled at him, fluttering her fucking eyelashes at the prick.  
"You jealous?" Jasper chuckled.  
I glanced over my shoulder, "Of him?" I shook my head and laughed, "Fuck no."  
Jasper smirked and tore apart his burrito, "It's not like Bella would actually do anything with him. She's with you."  
I narrowed my eyes and looked back at them. I wasn't so sure. The way she was looking at him said it all.  
Rosalie looked up then as she took a deep breath.  
She turned her head and caught my eyes.  
I smiled at her. Her eyes narrowed and she turned away again. I wasn't sure why.

"For goodness sake, Mr Cullen! Try showing up to class on time." My math teacher shook his head disapprovingly at me as I took my seat by Emmett.  
My brother chuckled and shook his head, "Retard." He mumbled, taking notes from the board.  
I nudged him with my elbow and opened my notebook.  
I could hear Rosalie tapping her pencil on the desk behind me, it was so fucking irritating.  
I could hear Renata chewing her gum and sighing occasionally.  
My teacher sat by his desk and began clicking on his out of date computer.  
The pencil tapping continued.  
I thought maybe she was doing it just to annoy me.  
I carefully took down the notes and began my work. School was a fucking drag, I wasn't sure why I was even here. As a guy, I always seen things differently. I saw the bitches fight, the losers cry, the downfall of popular friendships, the depression of the outcasts, school was fucking excellent.  
Everyone was different, yet they were all the same.  
They all acted the same, afraid to be too different. Afraid to be judged.  
In every clique, they spoke the same. They were lambs. Too afraid to stand out from the crowd and make a difference.  
Rosalie sighed and tapped her pencil again.  
"Could you please fucking stop that." I hissed quietly.  
The pencil dropped onto the desk.  
I smiled to myself and ignored Emmett's disapproving sigh. He was the good brother. The weird brother.  
I was destined to be the drop out.

I sat in the lounge and stared at the tv. What the fuck was my mom watching?  
"As you see...it's very important to baste the turkey and then cook it."  
I looked at my mother and rolled my eyes. She was intrigued.  
"Mom? Why the hell are we watching this?"  
She tutted, "It's Christmas soon. I wanted new recipes for the turkey."  
I sighed and stood up, walking by my dad.  
"You off to see Bella?" He asked.  
I stopped by the front door and shrugged, "Something like that."

**ROSALIE.**

"I hate him. Seriously hate him!" Alice threw her bag across the room and sat on the bed, "I mean, he knew my birthday was this week and he arranges to work?!" She shook her head and gritted her teeth. I could tell she was about to cry.  
I sighed and scooted over to her, "I'm sorry, Al." I didn't know what to say to make her feel better.  
"Mom is working non stop, trying to get enough money together for us and he doesn't care. He barely spent any time with us over the weekend and he expects us to forgive him." She wiped away a tear angrily and stood up.  
"I know how you feel..." I whispered.  
She turned and glared at me, "No you don't! No one knows how I feel!" She stormed out and slammed the door behind her.  
I knew where she was coming from. Our weekend at my father's was a disaster.  
After our argument, or rather after I screamed at him, Alice came up to my room and sat with me for most of the day.  
Dinner was awkward. He ordered a Chinese and we sat in the lounge.  
I sat at the fire and ignored the small chat my father and my sister were engaging in. I was called ignorant many times from the pig, but I didn't dare respond.  
By the Sunday, I was ready to punch him, or the wall. He made us breakfast, expected Alice and I to clean up and went to work, leaving us both in the house unattended. I may be fifteen but that's something you shouldn't do, especially if you're fighting for custody. Yeah, I found out Sunday night. I overheard my mom and grandma talking about it.  
I didn't want to be in my father's care.  
The only person I wanted to run to was Bella. She didn't know about the weekends events. I wanted to tell her, but I couldn't. It didn't feel right.

School was a drag. Faces passed in a blur. Gossip gave me a headache. I was glad to be home.  
I had unintentionally annoyed Edward in math. I had unintentionally annoyed Jessica at lunch. I was doing well.  
Bella still didn't know. We didn't speak much today, she was too busy with Alec and Him.  
We were growing apart and I hated it.

Eight o'clock.  
My mom was cleaning up the dinner dishes with grandma. Alice was out playing with a few friends she had made and I was sitting in the room I shared with her, trying and failing to do my History homework.  
I couldn't concentrate, no matter what I did.  
I was tired. I wanted to sleep.  
My phone buzzed, making me jump. I rarely got messages and when I did, it was usually Bella gushing about something her boyfriend had done.  
_Come outside._  
I closed my eyes and groaned quietly.  
I knew if I didn't, I'd regret it. And I knew if I did, I'd be in hell.


	8. Temptation

You can't make sense of love.  
It's red and it's dangerous.  
It consumes you.  
It kills you.

"It's Christmas soon."  
I nodded and stuffed my hand into my pockets to keep warm, "I know. It's Alice's birthday this week."  
There would be snow soon, I could feel it in the air. I could see it in the sky.  
"You have to make up your mind, Edward." I muttered. It was beginning to get boring now. I didn't want to wait around forever.  
He shook his head, "I can't."

After a long shower and life decisions, I climbed into bed and hugged my pillow.  
He said he couldn't make a decision. We were young. Too young. Nothing made sense at this age, especially to me. I'm like all the other girls at school. I'm a clean cut teenager. Never drank(until the dance), never smoked, never had sex. I was too innocent. I knew Bella was completely different. Maybe that's why Edward couldn't make up his mind. He knew he'd get what he wanted from Bella.  
Life was hard. It feels like the end of the world. It feels like everything good in your life is coming to an end. It screws you up.

"I'm not sure we should tell the girls though, mom."  
A sigh came from my grandma, "They'll find out eventually." She muttered. She didn't sound happy at all.  
I was sitting at the top of the stairs waiting for Alice to come out of the bathroom when I heard them talking.  
"I know...but they won't take it very well. Especially Rosalie. She's changed a lot since we seperated."  
I closed my eyes. They were talking about my dad. They were talking about me. I hadn't changed...had I?  
Alice opened the door and walked by me, towel on her head. Rolling my eyes, I stood and went inside to get ready for the day.

"It's not that I don't like his company, Bella, it's just weird. Doesn't he know you have a boyfriend?" Renata sat painting Jessica's nails as she confronted Bella about Alec.  
Bella sighed and ate a grape before she replied, "He does actually and Edward doesn't seem to mind."  
We all looked over at the boys. Was I the only one that noticed how angry he looked? He sat staring Alec down. It was uncomfortable to witness.  
Jessica scoffed, "Okay then. So why is he coming over here?"  
"Who?"  
Edward leaned against the table and stared down at Bella. She grinned up at him.  
I squirmed and stared down at my History book. I had to learn this.  
"I have to talk to you." His voice was angry, cold, discomforted.  
"Now?"  
I saw him nod once from the corner of my eye. Jessica and Renata pretended to engage in conversation, but it was obvious they were listening in.  
"Okay..." Bella took a deep breath and smiled, "Talk."  
Edward shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat, "It's about Alec." He glanced at me and then looked quickly away.  
This was awkward.  
"I don't like how he's always...there." He muttered. He was trying and failing to keep his voice down.  
I stared at my hands and feigned ignorance. Bella sighed deeply, exasperated, "He's a friend, Edward. Get over it." She turned her head away from him, dismissing him.  
I glanced up at him and gave him a small smile. He simply walked away.  
"That screamed awkward.." Renata shook her head and puffed her cheeks. Jessica nodded in agreement.  
"He's easily jealous." Bella shrugged and inspected her nails.  
He had every reason to be.

"Watching Les Mis is not going to teach you about the French Revolution, Mr Cullen."  
Edward chuckled and slouched in his seat. I hated History. My teacher was an ass. The people in the class were idiots.  
I drummed my fingers against the desk and sighed. I hated school. My mind always found a way to wander and I hated it.  
"Get into pairs and make a poster with all the information during that time period." The teacher handed out big sheets of paper and told us all where to sit.  
"Edward, sit with Rosalie."  
I groaned quietly. I didn't need two awkward encounters in the one day. He sat by me anyway and picked up a felt pen.  
"You don't mind if I write, do you?"  
I shook my head. He had nicer writing anyway.  
"Sorry about lunch. You guys didn't need to hear that." He muttered, writing carefully.  
I nodded, "It's fine." My voice was small, quiet.  
"He gets me so angry. Just the way they are together." He shook his head and sighed.  
I was beginning to get angry. I didn't know why.  
"The way she looks at him. I wouldn't be surprised if they've-"  
"You're such a hypocrite." I didn't give him a chance to finish his sentence, "Do you honestly think you're any better than her?"

"How was school, sweetheart?" My grandma placed a mug of tea infront of me and smiled warmly. She usually made me feel better, but not today.  
I shrugged and faked a smile, "Good."  
My phone buzzed in my pocket and I sighed. I knew who it would be. It would be him.  
I checked it anyway and frowned when I read his message : _The three of us are as bad as each other, precious girl. Don't call me out like that again.  
_He had a point, but that didn't make this situation any easier.  
Within five minutes, I had another message from him : _Come outside and see me.  
_I weighed my options. I could stay in and not do homework and sit bored or I could go out and see the most fucked up, annoying boy ever conceived.

"I thought I'd give you an early Christmas present." He smiled and handed me a small black box.  
I couldn't help but smile. "What is it?"  
"Open it and see."  
I tentatively opened the box. I couldn't believe it. I was staring at a pair of pink diamond earrings that were absolutely perfect.  
"I saw them and thought of you. I figured Bella wouldn't wear them." He smiled.  
At the mention of her name, I closed the box and looked away. "Have you decided yet?"  
He sighed, "Yes."


	9. Happy Girl

He made his choice, but he wasn't ready. Typical boy.

I admired my reflection and smiled. I was wearing the earrings he gave me. They were so pretty.  
Today was Alice's birthday. She was eight.  
My mother had made sure the house was decorated with balloons and banners, proclaiming to the whole neighbourhood that it was someone's birthday. I slowly made my way down to the kitchen.  
Alice was sat, munching on a breakfast bar. Her eyes glowed with excitement.  
My mother turned and grinned at me, "I'm making pancakes, want some?" She asked.  
My stomach growled in answer and I sat by my sister, "Happy Birthday." I smiled at her and playfully nudged her side. She grinned at me and went back to eating.  
My mother placed the pancakes infront of me and ruffled my hair, "Enjoy. I have to go to work. I'll see you both tonight." She kissed Alice's forehead and mine and then left.  
Thanks to my grandma, Alice got the day off school. But I had to go. Fucking typical.

"Those earrings look expensive...I thought your mom was broke?" Jessica eyed me and smirked, satisfied with her mean words. I shrugged it off and looked down at my shoes, "They're not from my mom." I muttered.  
"Oh. Your dad then? Is he showing he cares?" She sighed, rolled her eyes and sat down beside me on the bench outside.  
It was beginning to snow and people were rushing inside the school to take shelter. I was waiting on Bella.  
I ignored Jessica and stared at the school gates, eagerly waiting for my best friend because I knew he'd be with her.  
A frustrated sigh from Jess made me glance in her direction, just in time to see her stand and walk into the school.  
Five minutes later, they show up. Edward's dad chose to drive them.  
Edward climbs out first. He notices me and smiles in my direction. I think he noticed the earrings.  
Bella skipped over to me and I stood. Holding out my arm for her, we begin to walk into the school as she gushes about her awesome week ahead and Christmas. I'm glad someone was getting what they wanted.

_He smells like stale beer. He drapes his arm over me and hiccups near my ear, "Babe, I'm sorry."  
I shift, I can't concentrate anymore. He has given me a permanent headache. He nuzzles my neck in a drunken manor and sighs softly.  
"You've ruined my fucking life." I say simply._

"Merry Christmas, Rose." Edward kissed my forehead, a warmth spread through my cheeks.  
I grinned up at him, "Merry Christmas."  
It had just passed midnight. He had snuck into my room from the window I had left open. Alice was sleeping soundly in the bed next to us. (My mom finally bought us seperate beds) Edward stood and stretched, "I should go."  
I frowned in protest, I didn't want him to go, "Okay." I couldn't hide the disappointment in my voice.  
After a soft, quick kiss he was gone and I was left. Alone.

"Oh my God. I love it!" Alice squeaked. She grinned widely at her new Barbie castle thing, complete with a white horse and a Barbie princess.  
I lifted a present from my father off the coffee table and sighed.  
"You don't have to open it if you don't want to..." My mom told me quietly.  
What was the point in being childish? I should be grateful he even bought me something, right? I shook my head and forced a smile, "No, it was nice of him."  
I carefully ripped open the paper, I wasn't one to rip it to shreds like Alice, and gasped in surprise. An iPhone? Really?  
"What did you get?!" Alice demanded.  
I held it up and gave a small smile to my family, "He got me a new cell." I replied quietly.  
My mother's smile faultered slightly, but she managed to keep it in place, "That was nice of him. Call him later and thank him." She turned her attention back to Alice and began to humor her and she played with her new Barbies. I knew what she was thinking. She didn't have the money to spoil us with new things. She could barely keep us afloat as it was. I pitied her. I felt sorry for her. She was tricked into thinking my father was right for her. He was an ass. A violent man and I felt sorry for her.

"It's not like I can hide it from them forever, Mom." My mother sighed quietly. I could hear her and my grandma cleaning up from the Christmas feast we had just devoured.  
"I know. But Alice is young, she wouldn't understand."  
"Give her some credit. She's been amazing these past few weeks." My mother shifted towards the stairs and I quickly moved, I couldn't risk being caught.  
"How am I supposed to tell them that their father is dying?" She mumbled sadly.  
A huge lump formed in my throat. This had to be some sick, cruel joke. Dying?  
I refused to believe it. He never said anything. He never shown any sign of him being sick. It just didn't make sense.  
I retreated to my room and flopped down on my bed. Alice was too busy grooming her new toys to even notice.  
There was only one person I wanted to talk to.  
_"Are you busy?"_ I sent the text and lay down on my bed, staring at the ceiling.  
His reply came an hour and thirty minutes later.  
_"At Bella's."  
_Figured as much.  
Sometimes I wanted to shake and make him realise what he was putting me through. Would he continue using Bella? Or was he using me?  
I turned my phone off and turned over, burying my face into my pillow. This Christmas royally sucked. I knew the remainder of the holidays would too.  
Jessica was gone to France for the holidays, Renatta rarely left the house and Angela would be busy with Eric. And Bella would be loved up with my boy.  
Was there even a good enough reason for why I was putting myself through so much jealousy and pain? Was all of this worth it? The lying, the cheating, the betrayal.

-  
_EDWARD_

It's not like I actually gave a shit about what went on in Bella's life. I just sat there and listened to her drone on and on about her boring family.  
Her dad was a fucking cop, so I obviously had to be polite and kind infront of him. God knows what the fuck he would do to me if I wasn't, if I treated his daughter like absolute shit.  
"Have you seen Rose lately?" I asked her in passing.  
She looked up from her drying nails and frowned, "No. She's too busy with her mom to even bother having a social life." She mumbled dryly.  
I sighed, "Bells, you know its not her fault."  
"Whatever," She shrugged, "Its not my problem. Its not like she even talks to me about it all anyway. So, why should I care?"  
"Because, she's your best friend?" I raised an eyebrow and smirked. It wasn't like her to be such a bitch about Rosalie.  
She sighed, "She's trivial now. Old news."  
I never ever thought I'd hear that from her.

_"Are you busy?"_ I glanced at the text and sighed before placing my cell on the table by Bella's bed.  
She smiled up at me, "Everything okay?"  
I nodded and kissed her forehead, "Everything's great."  
"Good. Merry Christmas." She whispered.  
"Merry Christmas." My stomach twisted and I remembered the first person I had wished that to today. Being with Bella was fake, wrong, weird.  
It felt too forced.  
It was beginning to become 'trivial'. And I wasn't sure when I'd be able to tell Bella that I was fucking through with her.


	10. Cruelty

**_"_****Cruelty**

I stared at my phone in disbelief. '_At Bella's.'  
_I wanted to scream. I knew this would happen. My problems, my need to see him would be second place to Bella. I didn't care that they were dating, I didn't care that we were a secret. I didn't fucking care. I needed him. I fucking wanted him to be here when I did.  
"What's with you?" Alice muttered as she climbed into her bed.  
I didn't look at her, I just shrugged, "Just sucks not being able to spend Christmas with dad." I mumbled, especially if it was his last.  
"Yeah..I know." She yawned and snuggled under the blankets, within seconds she was lightly snoring away.  
I got up and locked the window, keeping him out. If he even decided to show his face tonight. I went to the bathroom and slowly began to brush my teeth, it was a tedious routine.

"As you can see, there was nothing stopping these people from starting their own business. They had the money, the resources and the numbers to do so." My History droned on about a make believe family in The Great Depression. I was sick to death of hearing about it.  
"Do you think Angela will show up to that party tonight? Or will she be too busy banging Eric?" Jessica giggled childishly next to me.  
I didn't like the way they all bitched about her, just because she was happy, "I dunno. Do you think you and Mike will break up again tonight?" I asked sweetly.  
Jessica's eyes widened and she pouted slightly, turning away from me, she flicked her hair over her shoulder. That put her in her place.  
Jasper was having another party, his pre-christmas party, as he was calling it. Of course, I was invited but whether or not I'd be able to go was a different story. My mother's rules hadn't changed much.

"Your window has been locked for too long." His voice startled me. I closed my locker and sighed, "What's going on, precious girl?"  
I snorted, "Nothing. I figured you'd be too busy with Bella to remember me." I began to walk away from him but he caught my arm.  
"What the fuck? What's going on with you?" He glared down at me, though his eyes softened when he saw the panic in my eyes. He released me and stuffed his hand in his pocket, "You know I can't break it off with Bella without an explanation." He sighed, "She'll be crushed when she finds out, your friendship will be over."  
I took a deep breath, I had nothing to lose here, "Well maybe we shouldn't have started whatever the fuck this is." I snapped. He looked stunned at my outburst. I didn't give him a chance to reply before I stormed off to the cafeteria.  
I huffed as I sat down, tearing apart my sandwich I bought on the way and tried to ignore the looks my friends were exchanging.  
Eventually I had enough, "What the fuck is it?" I growled.  
Bella's eyes widened and she cleared her throat, "Rose...are you okay?" She asked quietly.  
"Yeah, are you like...due or something?" Jessica raised a brow and sat her bottle of water down on the table.  
I narrowed my eyes, "No, I'm fine." I sighed.  
"You don't seem like you are." Bella pressed.  
I turned away from them and shook my head. Why couldn't everyone just leave me alone?

I wish they would stop playing happy families. We weren't a happy family. Far from it actually.  
"I've to stop by your father's tonight to collect a few things we had forgotten." My mother informed me as I cleaned the kitchen after dinner. Lie. We already had everything.  
"Okay."  
"Would you like me to pass anything on?" She asked me softly as she shoved her arms through her jacket sleeves.  
How long would she be lying? Yesterday, she had to 'work late' which I knew was a lie considering the place she works closes at seven.  
"How about you ask him how long he's got left? We deserve that much don't we? We deserve the truth. When were you planning on telling Alice and I that my father had a death sentence lurking over his head?" I didn't give her a chance to reply before I retreated to my room, slamming the door on the way.  
_"Where are you?" _I sent the text and lay back on my bed.  
Ten minutes later, _"Jazz's party. U coming?"_

What did I have to lose?


	11. Disaster

When I arrived, I immediately made my way to the table that contained the alcohol.  
Bella tapped my shoulder and grinned, "I didn't think you'd be coming tonight!" She exclaimed.  
I managed a small smile in return and picked up my cup, "I was invited." I mumbled.  
Her smile faltered and she nodded, "I know." She then walked away, probably to go fuck her charming, cheating boyfriend.  
I stayed by the drinks table, quietly observing the grinding and make out sessions. Sure, Jasper was what? Sixteen? Seventeen? His parties were beginning to get boring and this was only my second time going to one of them. I took a sip of my vodka and welcomed the burn.  
Emmett sneaked up beside me and leaned against the table, "Hey."  
"Hi."  
"Wanna dance?" He smirked and held out his hand for me. I raised a brow, this wasn't some fucking formal, this was a cheap, skanky house party.  
I looked across the room and noticed Edward, glaring at Emmett. I smirked and looked up at his brother, "I would love to."  
Emmett's grin grew as he led me into the crowd of grinding teenagers.  
I didn't bother looking back at Edward as I danced with Emmett. There was no point. I was having fun, shouldn't he? I figured there was no point in waiting around for something when in reality you were probably never gonna get it.

I sat beside Jessica, listening as she babbled about the beach condo her parents had bought for their summer vacations. She was a spoiled little brat. I nodded and smiled when expected but I honestly couldn't give two fucks. Angela joined us and told us, drunkingly, that Eric wanted to 'go all the way' with her tonight. I rolled my eyes and stood, I couldn't be bothered listening anymore. I needed a break. It was too warm and too loud.  
My cell buzzed in my pocket. I fished it out and sighed. 'Mom' flashed on the screen. I pressed ignore and made my way outside. I needed the fresh air but as soon as I stepped outside, I immediately regretted it.  
Edward and Bella were there. Sitting on the porch bench, kissing, cuddling, be what I could never be with him. It made my stomach twist in anguish.  
In that second I was close to spilling our dirty, little secret, but it was neither dirty or little. Considering we never actually done anything yet.  
I turned on my heel and went back inside. The smell of alcohol, sweat and vomit was violent in my nose. I was in way too deep. I was still a little, sheltered girl. Who was I thinking that I could pull off being like my friends. I couldn't even handle my drink. Three cups and I'm swaying...

"Rosales Lillian Hale, wake up now!" I heard my mom's stern voice but I couldn't bring myself to open my eyes. I groaned and turned over. I was pulled back harshly. My eyes sprung open, "What?!" I growled.  
My mother's eyes widened. Clearly she had been expecting tears and humble apologies, "Aren't you going to explain yourself to me?"  
I snorted, "What's to explain? I went out, had fun...can't remember much else and now you're screaming in my face."  
Her eyes narrowed and before I had time to react and flash of pain graced my cheek. She hit me. "You've changed, Rosalie. I don't know why, but you better change back soon." With that, she stood up and left my room.  
I touched my cheek gently and stared at the closed door, stunned. What the fuck?  
I checked my phone and frowned. Seven missed class and four texts, all from Edward.  
I didn't bother reading them. I had nothing to say to him. Not after last night. Not after I went back inside. Not after what he did.


	12. Fuck This

_"Be honest,  
Did you ever mention my name?  
Did you get sick of the shame?  
Did you lie on your back like a whore?"  
_**- "If You Think This Song Is About You, It Probably Is : D.R.U.G.S**

I hate life. All it does is fuck me about.

_I went back inside after witnessing them snuggling and being 'cute' and found solitude in the alcohol. It seemed to be my only friend tonight.  
Jessica was all over Mike, grinding and moaning into each other's mouths. The music was progressively getting louder, causing the floor to vibrate under my feet.  
The lounge smelled like sweat and sex. I closed my eyes and leaned against the door frame, trying to ease the headache that was now engulfing my head. I had to learn. I had to make myself become one of them. I was too innocent. I hated it.  
"Edward, stop it!" Bella's giggling caused my eyes to spring open. They walked right by me, kissing, giggling, as they ascended the stairs to the bedroom.  
An overwhelming pain shot through my heart and stomach. I knew what they were going to do._

"Can you just talk to me? What the fuck have I done?"  
I slammed my locker shut and turned away from him, searching the hall for a familiar face.  
"Rosalie." He sighed and ran a hand through his bronze hair. There was no way I was going to talk to him. He took something from Bella that night. He took the last shred of innocence she had. And what did I get? Cuddles and quick kisses. I knew I was last place. He'd come to me when he got bored.  
"Leave me alone, Edward."  
"You do this every fucking time I'm with Bella, you know that? What do you want me to do?"  
Anger boiled in my blood and I couldn't hold back anymore. "I want you to break up with her! Tell her the fucking truth! Grow a pair and stop using me!" I screamed in his face. He stood there, stunned and a little confused. A small cluster of people surrounded us. I didn't care.  
"Rose..."  
"No! You can't keep doing this to me. You're using both of us and it sucks, okay? It fucking sucks. Do you know how much this kills me? Do you even fucking care?" Tears sprung to my eyes and willed myself to not let them shed.  
Edward glanced at the small group of people, his eyes widened. I followed his line of sight and gulped. My heart stopped.  
Bella stared, wide eyed. Confusing and pain was prominent on her face.  
"Bella..." I whispered.  
"Would someone like to explain to me what the hell is going on?" Her voice was quiet but cold. Chilling even.

Fuck this. Fuck it all.  
"I can't believe you would do this to me." Bella stared blankly at the floor. We were sitting in the gym hall.  
"Bella, please. It's not like I fucked her. She's nothing. Like you said, she's trivial!" Edward sat infront of her, trying to get her to look at him.  
At his words, my throat closed up, "What?"  
Edward turned to me, his stare ice cold, "You were nothing. You _are _nothing."  
Bella wiped her eyes and stood up, "You're right." She glared down at me, "He just felt sorry for you. So I told him to have some fun with you, see how far you'd go. Did you honestly think he wanted you?" She smirked at me and took Edward's hand. "  
What the fuck? I stared at them both, walking away from me, hand in hand. Did that just happen? Did my best friend just take her boyfriend's side?  
Like I said, life fucks me about.

"I got a call from your Principal today." My mother sat at the kitchen table, her eyes flared with angry.  
I groaned into my glass of milk.  
"What's going on, Rosalie?"  
"Nothing."  
My mother sighed, "Bull. Tell me."  
"There's nothing going on!"  
"Then why did he call telling me you and that Cullen boy had an argument in school?"  
"Because we did?" What was this? Twenty questions?  
"He said Bella was upset."  
"There's nothing going on, okay?" I stood, scraping my chair along the floor, "I wish you would just butt the fuck out!" I turned on my heel and stormed up the stairs. She never cared about my life, why should she start now?  
"Rosalie!" I heard her screaming my name but she didn't come up the stairs. I hid my face in my pillow and mourned the loss of my 'best friend' and the prick she called a boyfriend.


	13. Walking Contradiction

**EPOV - Jaspers party.**

After i had texted Rosalie, inviting her over, I stalked back to Bella, snaking my arms around her. She cuddled into my neck but it felt wrong, really fucking wrong. "I invited Rose." I told her.  
She looked up at me and frowned, "Why?" She was such a fucking bitch.  
"Because she's your friend? And she needs out of that house. Do you even care about what she's going through?" I didn't care, I was going to call her out on her shit. Bella sighed and looked away, "Whatever."  
I rolled my eyes and left her, walking over to Jazz, "Where's the beer?"  
Jasper grinned at me and put his arm over my shoulders, "Dude, I'm so fucking hammered." He laughed, almost fell over and started hysterically laughing again. For fuck sake.  
"Rosalie is coming." I helped him up and patted his shoulder. He just nodded and turned to talk to my brother. Grabbing a beer, I went to sit in the kitchen. A few guys that I recognised were hunched over a bong, giggling like pussys. Jasper's parties always had to have drugs.  
"Want a hit?" One of them asked.  
I shook my head and turned away. I just wanted Rose to hurry up. I stared out at the back yard and chewed my lip, I remembered the plan. That stupid, horrid plan.

"I want you to do something for me." She whispered as she kissed along my collar bone.  
I looked down at her and smirked, "What?"  
Bella sat up and ran her hand through my hair, "I know Rosalie is into you."  
Her voice was quiet and uncharacteristically cold, "Use her."  
I moved back from her, she couldn't be serious. I may be a dick but I wasn't that heartless, "Bells...she's your friend. I'm not doing that."  
"She's not my friend. Not if she wants you. You don't have to do anything with her! I want to see if she actually will fall for it. I want to know for sure if she's my friend or not." She made sense, even if this was horrible. I rubbed my forehead and sighed, I couldn't do this, could I? Bella stared up at me, expectant.  
"Fine." I breathed, "But I'm not doing anything with her!"

I heard Bella talking to someone over the music and I went back into the lounge. Rosalie had arrived. I smiled to myself and moved over to Bella. Bella looked up at me, her eyes said it all. I noticed Emmett asking Rose to dance. What the fuck? She accepted. Anger boiled in my blood. She was mine. Not his. But the way they were dancing didn't convey that. Bella tugged on my hand and pulled me outside. We sat on the porch swing and I listened to her bitch about her friends. She never used to be like this. She never used to be the bitch. I heard the front door open and Bella must have heard it too because she suddenly kissed me, moaning into my mouth. I knew who she was showing off for. Bella pulled back when the door closed and she grinned, "Lets go upstairs." Such a cheap line. I agreed anyway, it was part of her plan, right?

She pulled me up and dragged me inside, giggling on the way, "Edward, stop it!" I didn't fucking touch her. I glanced back to see Rosalie's pained face. I had hurt her. Fuck this. The door closed behind us and Bella was quick to remove her shirt. She kissed me harshly and tugged on my belt. My hand instinctively stopped her. I couldn't do this.  
"What?" She whispered. Her lipstick was smudged all over her mouth and her cheeks were flushed.  
"I just...I can't Bella." I couldn't do it to Rosalie.

She wouldn't talk to me at school. Not in Math, not in History.  
I spotted her by her locker and approached her, "Can you just talk to me? What the fuck have I done?" I needed her to talk to me, I missed her voice.  
She slammed her locker shut and turned away from me.  
"Rosalie." I sighed, why wouldn't she look at me?  
"Leave me alone, Edward." She sounded numb.  
I narrowed my eyes, I knew being a total jackass would get her to talk to me, "You do this every fucking time I'm with Bella, you know that? What do you want me to do?"  
She spun round, eyes flaring with anger, "I want you to break up with her! Tell her the fucking truth! Grow a pair and stop using me!"  
My eyes widened. I didn't expect such an outburst from her. I must have really hurt her, "Rose..."  
"No! You can't keep doing this to me. You're using both of us and it sucks, okay? It fucking sucks. Do you know how much this kills me? Do you even fucking care?" Her eyes shone with tears. It killed me, of course I care.  
I looked around at the huddle of people, watching, spectating. My eyes widened. Bella. This was her plan all along.  
Rosalie turned around, "Bella..."  
"Would someone like to explain to me what the hell is going on?"

"I can't believe you would do this to me." Bella was a good actress, I give her that.  
Rosalie twisted her hands in her lap while I stared at my shoes. Fuck this. I may as well play along.  
"Bella, please. It's not like I fucked her. She's nothing. Like you said, she's trivial!" I used her own words against her and it killed me. All of this fucking sucked.  
"What?" Rosalie's quiet voice came from behind me.  
I took a deep breath, turned around and gave her the coldest look I could possibly conjure, "You were nothing. You _are _nothing." Saying these words killed me and it killed me even more to see how it effected her. I was such a dick.  
Bella wiped her eyes and stood up, "You're right." She glared down at Rose, "He just felt sorry for you. So I told him to have some fun with you, see how far you'd go. Did you honestly think he wanted you?" She smirked at her and took my hand.  
We swiftly left the gym hall, my thoughts jumbling together.  
"I told you she wasn't my friend." Bella muttered smugly. I released her hand and shook my head.  
"What's wrong?" She frowned up at me, her voice thick with false concern.  
"I just have to go to my locker to get something. I'll catch up with you." Lie.  
She nodded and sauntered off.  
I jogged back down to the gym hall, my heart in my throat. Pushing open the door, I felt disappointment, anguish, relief.  
She was gone.


	14. Nightmare

_Insanity drips from his mouth  
He taught me that spells and curses could exist  
I'm caught, captured by his heart, show me the way out. Set me free._

**ROSALIE**

I couldn't do this anymore. I couldn't go to school and sit with my 'friends'. I couldn't go and pretend everything was okay and that I was fine. No doubt Bella filled everyone in on what had happened.  
Renata didn't speak to me in Math. I sat there, awkwardly doing my work. This was a nightmare.

In History, Leah Clearwater came over to my desk. I was slightly taken aback. She smiled at me and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Hey Rosalie...I heard about what happened with Bella and Edward."  
My stomach twisted but I forced a smile, "Yeah."  
"You can always sit with us at lunch. I'll wait for you after class." With a warm smile and a hand pat, she went to her seat. Oh how nice, the pity friendships. I wondered how long that would take.  
I couldn't concentrate in class, my mind was reeling and my stomach was doing backflips. Lunch. I'd see them. Both of them. I internally groaned to myself. This would not end well.

"So I told him that he was a nice guy and we should just be friends."  
"Seriously? What did he say?"  
The girls' chatter blended into the noise of the cafeteria. I kept my eyes down on the table, I was too scared to look up, afraid of what I might bare witness to.  
A gentle tap on my shoulder caused me to jump. It was just Emmett.  
"Hey Rose."  
My breathing stopped. What the fuck was this? Did Bella send him?  
"H-hi." I stuttered.  
Emmett smiled warmly and sat down beside me, ignoring the stares of the girls, "You can always talk to me, regardless of the things thats happening." He muttered, glaring at his brother. "He's such a dick."  
I smiled and nodded, "Dick." I agreed, "Thanks Emmett. That means a lot." At least someone had my back...I think.

Leah and Lauren walked me to my locker at the end of the day. I really couldn't stand Lauren. She was just like Bella.  
"Guys, I'm fine, you can leave me you know." I opened my locker and collected my books.  
Lauren gave a fake laugh and shook her head, "Don't be silly, Rose. We'll walk out together."  
Her nasal voice made me want to punch her in the face. I smiled anyway and closed my locker, "Thanks."  
At that moment, Bella and Edward rounded the corner. I cast my eyes to the floor.  
I heard Bella's laugh, "Fucking loser." She nudged my shoulder as she walked by. I looked up and caught Edward's eye. Coldness and anger resided there.

"You're going to your father's tonight." My mother set my over night bag at the bottom of my bed and sighed.  
"What? Why?"  
"Because Rosalie, you need to learn that you can't keep acting like this! You're not the daughter I raised." She sighed and turned her back to me.  
"I haven't fucking done anything!" I hissed.  
My mother gave a sad sigh before closing the door behind her.  
I didn't want to go to my fucking father's. I hated him, I didn't want to see him, especially not after the fight we had last time I was there.  
My life was a fucking nightmare and I just wanted to wake the fuck up.

"Your mother tells me that you've been acting out lately." My father set my dinner down infront of me and forced a smile, "What's going on, Rosalie?" "Nothing is going on, Dad." I should stop lying. I knew that. But if I told him the truth, he'd kill me. He frowned and pierced a carrot with his fork, "I see." I looked down at the steak and sighed. This was going to be a long two weeks. "It's just...I'm losing all my friends and the one guy I liked turned out to be an ass." I confessed. "An ass?" I glanced up at my father and was surprised to see him smiling. "Rosalie, you're young, too young to be worrying over frivolous things like boys." He shook his head and chuckled. "I know but...I really liked him and I thought he liked me too." I bit down on my lip and took a deep breath. "I see. Well, how do your friends fit in with this?" "He's my best friend's boyfriend." He chuckled again and began cutting his steak, "Does Bella know?" I nodded, "She planned everything." I don't know why, but it felt good telling someone this, even if it was my father. Maybe I was wrong about him. He seemed different now, more relaxed and happy. I could never tell my mother what was going on. It was later that night, after I had showered and got ready for bed, when I realised that they had switched. My mother was acting like my father an vice versa. And I didn't mind it, surprisingly.


	15. Lies and Deceit

Week 1

"I was thinking you could ditch school and go shopping today." My father slide his credit card across the table to me and smiled.  
"What?" I lifted his credit card and frowned, "I can't ditch school." I muttered, my mother would kill me.  
He chuckled and stood up, "I won't tell your mother. Go, have fun. Make Edward see what he's missing."  
What the fuck? Did my father suddenly turn gay? Did he get a lobotomy?

I wandered through the mall and sighed to myself. I wasn't used to this. I would go with Bella, but I'd never get anything, I'd just follow around like a lost puppy, gawking at whatever she bought.  
I found myself walking into Forever 21, against my own will. I browsed the selection of jeans and smiled to myself as I picked up a pair of red skinny jeans. I fell in love. I slung them over my arm and walked over to the shoes. This was more fun than I thought.

I arrived home, bags in hands, and walked through to my father's study.  
He looked up when I walked in, "Did you have fun?"  
I nodded.  
"Get anything nice?"  
I shrugged, "Couple of pairs of shoes, some jeans and shirts." Nothing too out there  
He smiled and nodded, "I'll put dinner on soon...Or do you want to go out?"  
I smiled, "I don't mind."  
"We'll go to Duffs." He shut his laptop and grabbed his keys, "Let's go."

The dinner was less awkward than I expected. We talked, a lot.  
"So how are your grades?" He took a sip of his coke and began eating his chicken.  
"Good. I'm passing History and English." I smiled at him and pushed my food around my plate. There was so much of it!  
"What about Maths?"  
I groaned and looked down at the table cloth, "I'm probably failing that." I confessed.  
A frown crossed his features and he sighed, "How is Alice? Is she okay?"  
I nodded, "Still the same spoiled brat she's always been." I smiled sarcastically much to my father's amusement.  
"That's your sister you're talking about, Rosalie. Be nice."  
She may be my sister, but I still didn't like her.

After I had showered and dressed the next morning, I made my way down to the kitchen where my father was sat drinking his coffee.  
"I have something to tell you." My father sat his cup off coffee on the table and clasped his hands in front of him.  
I knew what it was. I knew it was his death sentence. I knew.  
"Okay." I breathed.  
"I'm not dying."  
My eyes widened. What?  
He chuckled, "I know you overheard your mother and grandmother talking. I was never dying."  
I almost chocked. What the fuck?  
"Were you...were you dying?"  
He shook his head, "No."  
Anger boiled in my blood, "You sick fucking freak!" I shot up, spilling my orange juice in the process, "What the fuck were you thinking?! I hate you!" I stormed up to my room, slamming my door. I had to get out of here.  
I grabbed my bag from the top of my wardrobe and threw it onto my bed. I was going home. I didn't know my father anymore. Everything made sense now. How nice he was to me, how he kept bribing me with all these things, the clothes, the food. Ugh, I hated myself for falling for it.  
I threw on my coat and went downstairs.  
"Where are you going, Rosalie?" My father leaned against the lounge doorframe and sighed.  
"Home. I'm done with you. You're not my father." I could tell my words hurt him but I didn't fucking care. He had hurt my whole family. I opened the front door and didn't bother looking back as I left. Fuck him. Fuck what he's become.

The bell scared me awake. I opened my eyes to see people leave my English class. I guessed I had better follow.  
"Rosalie?"  
I turned around to see Emmett grinning at me.  
"Oh hey, Emmett. What's up?" I ran a hand through my hair and smiled up at him.  
"Nothing, I just wanted to see if you wanted to go out after school?" He looked hopeful.  
My smile grew, "Sure. Not another house party though."  
He laughed loudly and shook his head, "No. I was thinking you could come to mine and just hang out."  
My stomach flipped. Edward would be there. But fuck him. "I'd love to."

"Hello Rosalie, it's a pleasure to meet you." Dr Cullen gripped my hand and smiled.  
"Likewise." I liked him. He seemed nice.  
"So you are Rosalie! Hello, I'm Esme, Emmett and Edward's mother." She hugged me.  
"Hi. It's nice to meet you." I liked her too. Emmett's parents were different. Very sophisticated, very posh and proper. Esme's hair cascaded down her back in soft auburn waves. I envied her so much.  
Emmett placed a hand on my lower back and guided me to the games room, "Check out this place." He opened the door and my breathing stopped.  
Edward was there, playing Xbox, Bella snuggling his side.  
Shit just got awkwardly weird.


	16. All Your Hate

_You're_ _only so lonely  
And I never had a doubt,  
You don't even know me  
Still you pass your judgement out  
When you belong  
You're just a face in the crowd,  
You're only lonely so lonely, like everybody else_

Bella glared up at us, "Oh look. The skank of the year has moved to your brother."  
Edward sighed, "Bella."  
I looked down at the lemon coloured carpet and held my breath. Emmett stiffened next to me, "I invited her." Emmett growled.  
Bella laughed and stood up, "Of course you did. Be careful, Em...she'll fuck you over." She giggled sarcastically and attempted to walk by me.  
I grabbed her arm, "What the fuck is your problem?" I was getting sick of her little comments, it was pathetic and quite frankly annoying the shit out of me.  
Her eyes widened and she laughed, "Excuse me? I don't have a problem, sweetheart. You made one all on your own."  
My eyes narrowed, "You planned this! How can you put all the blame on me?!" I released her arm and stepped back from her.  
"Bella, just leave her." Edward tried to capture her attention, but it didn't work, she ignored him and focused on me, "If you were really my friend, you wouldn't have done anything with him." She spat.  
"I didn't do anything!"  
Emmett sighed, "This is fucking pointless. Edward take your bitch outside and calm her."  
Edward rolled his eyes and grabbed Bella's hand, dragging her to the door.  
I felt like I could breathe again, "I'm sorry about that." I whispered. He must hate me now.  
Emmett chuckled, "You don't have to apologise. Everybody has a breaking point, right?"  
I nodded and followed him down to the kitchen.  
"Hungry, kids?" Esme smiled at us both from over her magazine.  
Emmett nodded, "Course!"  
Esme laughed, a beautiful and carefree sound, "You're always hungry. Rosalie? Would you like something to eat?"  
I smiled shyly and nodded, "Yes please."

Half an hour later Emmett and I had completely devoured the plate of sandwiches his mother made us. They were good.  
"I should probably get home." I mumbled, checking the time.  
"Oh, okay. Do you want my dad to drive you?" Emmett stood up and lifted the plate.  
Shaking my head, I grabbed my coat, "No, thanks. I want to walk." I needed to clear my head, make sense of earlier. Emmett nodded, I followed him to the front door and smiled.  
"I'll see you later then." He leaned down and my breathing caught. No. I moved my head out of the way and smiled awkwardly. I didn't want him that way. I wanted a friend. He cleared his throat, "Sorry...I just thought..."  
I shook my head and opened the door, "No, it's fine. I'll see you later." I hastily made my way down the steps and out of the gate. I felt so claustrophobic. I needed an escape. I needed a lifeline, just something to make me feel better. Anything to dull the ache in my chest. I had lost everything and for what? Just so Bella could prove a fucking point? I hated this. I hated myself.

"So dad wasn't dying?" Alice brushed through her hair and stared at me through the mirror. I sighed and nodded, "Apparently so." "Why do you think he lied?"  
I shrugged, I didn't really want to talk about it, "I don't know Al." I muttered, checking my phone. A text from Leah. I didn't bother reading it.  
"Mom is pretty angry." Alice whispered. I nodded but stayed silent. I didn't know what she wanted me to say. I had nothing to say on the subject. "Mom said she found a house we can move in to."  
My eyes snapped up, "Really? Where is it?"  
"California."  
"Al, shut up. It's not in California. As if mom has the money."  
Alice nodded, "Yeah, she does. Grandma is helping her out. The house is in Orange County." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This could not be true. Did my mother honestly expect me to give up everything here? Granted, I had lost my friends and the guy I somehow fell in love with, but was I desperate to leave and runaway from all my problems? Fuck no. Selfishness. That's all it ever was with my mother.  
"Mom said she'll talk to you about it over dinner." Alice smiled at me and left the room, probably going downstairs to suck up. I couldn't believe this. Califuckingfornia.

"I understand it's going to be hard to leave everything here, your friends, school but-"  
"I don't want to go."  
"Rose...you need to think about this. Take some time, gain some perspective."  
I narrowed my eyes, "Fine. But my answer will still be the same."  
My mother sighed and took a sip of her red wine, "I hope not."  
"So, how was school today then?" My grandma smiled and dished out mashed potatoes.  
Alice grinned, "It was great. I got a gold star for reading."  
"That's great! Well done."  
I rolled my eyes, "Well my day was great too, my friends still aren't talking to me and Edward won't look at me." I smiled sweetly and pierced a vegetable with my fork.  
My mother sighed, "Well it's your own fault."  
"Are you serious?" Why was everyone ganging up on me?! "It's not my fault! It's Bella's."  
"I'm sure that's not true, Rosalie."  
"No, of course it's not! Because it's always my fault! I never do right from wrong. Know what? Go to California, but leave me here. I'll be fucking happier without you!" I slammed my fork down on the table and ran up to my room. I fucking hated this. I hated everything and everyone. I grabbed my jacket and stormed down stairs and through the front door.  
"Rosalie, get back here!" My grandma shouted but I carried on walking. Tears stung my eyes, it was about time. As I walked I mourned the loss of everything I missed. I wanted normality again. I wanted my friend again.

I didn't know how or why, but I found myself standing outside of the Cullen's house. My feet took me forward, toward the front door.  
I rang the doorbell and suddenly I realised I shouldn't be there. I turned and made my way back down the three little steps.  
"Rosalie?" The familiar voice sent my heart into overdrive.  
I slowly turned, breathing deeply, "Edward."  
Love has no limits. Maybe that's why I found myself falling into darkness.


	17. Shit Hit the Fan

**Sorry this update is so short, I had limited time to complete it. Forgive me :( **

* * *

**EDWARD**

I heard the doorbell and sighed. I couldn't be fucking bothered to answer the door, but I got up anyway. I was curious.

I unlocked the door and frowned when I saw her retreating figure, "Rosalie?" What was she doing here?

She turned around, she looked utterly terrified, "Edward."

"Are you...are you okay?" I felt awkward, I didn't know what to do.

She nodded meekly and scuffed her feet along the gravel, "I'm fine."

Her voice broke. She was not okay.

"Um...do you wanna...maybe come inside?" I smiled at her and she slowly approached. I could tell by her body language that she didn't trust me. She stopped at the door and looked up at me. "Bella's not here, Rose."

She sighed and stepped inside.

I sat a glass of water in front of her and waited.

She twisted her hands in her lap and shifted uncomfortably.

"Rose, what's wrong?"

She drew in a deep breath and looked into my eyes, "I'm moving to California."

I swear my fucking heart stopped. Her violet eyes began to tear up and she looked swiftly away.

"What? Are you fucking serious?"

She nodded, "My mom found this house in Orange County and we're moving as soon as possible."

"Do you want to go?"

She shrugged and sighed, "Part of me wants to stay...but part of me wants to go. I think it would be better if I left, I mean, everyone hates me for what I did to Bella..."

I sighed and gripped my hair, "I don't want you to go though."

"Yeah, right." She scoffed in disbelief.

"I'm fucking serious! You can't go! Your whole life is here. I'm here!"

She stood up, walking to the window, "Yeah, but that doesn't count for much."

I felt myself get angry, furious even, "What the fuck do you mean by that?"

She laughed, weakly, "Well, this was a plan, right? What does you being here have anything to do with me leaving? Is it cause you and Bella won't get your kicks anymore, is that it?" She turned and faced me, her eyes ice cold.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Rose. I...I..." The words wouldn't come out. The words she needed wouldn't come out of my mouth.

"You what, Edward?"

I sighed and shook my head, "Nothing."

She rolled her eyes, "I should probably go. I don't even know why I came here." She stormed by me and went to open the front door, she turned and glared at me, "You're an asshole, and I hope you and Bella have a great fucking life together."

I narrowed my eyes, "Go to fucking California, you won't be missed here."

She bit her lip to stop from crying. All I wanted to do was go to her, hold her and dry her eyes, but I couldn't. I was rooted to the fucking spot.

"Asshole." Was her last word before she left, slamming the door on her way out.

I sat in the games room, trying to concentrate on the fucking game I was playing, but it was no use. She couldn't go to California. She just couldn't. Not seeing her everyday would send me to hell.

I threw the controller on the floor and growled to myself. This was fucking hopeless. It was all her fault.

The front door closed and I heard small footsteps ascend the stairs. I closed my eyes and sighed. I didn't fucking need this right now.

"Hey." She flopped down on the sofa next to me and grinned.

"Hi." I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed.

"Something wrong?" Her voice was already annoying me.

"Yeah...Rosalie is moving to California." I couldn't keep holding my tongue anymore.

"And is that supposed to mean something to me?" Bella sighed and began flicking through one of her magazines she brought.

"Yeah, it should. You've made her life hell, Bella!" I stood up and began pacing. , I couldn't say still, "Your actions just caused so much shit in her life and you don't even care!"

She stood also and glared at me, "What the fuck, Edward? She done this to herself! And you! Don't act all fucking innocent. You led her on, you made her fall for you! Why do you even care so much? Are you fucking in love with her or something?"

I fell silent and stopped my pacing.

Bella's eyes widened in disbelief and she started laughing, "Oh my fucking God, you are, aren't you?"

Again, I stayed silent.

"Well to hell with you Edward Cullen."


	18. Our Precious Goodbye

I groaned to myself and collected my books. This was going to be a long day. Never mind the fact that last night was completely shit. Never mind the fact that Edward was a total asshat to me. Never mind the fact that I was too.  
My locker slammed shut and I looked to my right.  
"Moving to Cali, are we?"  
I sighed, "What do you want, Bella?"  
She smirked and leaned against the lockers, "I want you to stay away from Edward. Get the picture bimbo, he doesn't want you."  
I frowned, "This is getting really old, Bella. I don't want your precious Edward."  
"Yeah, okay. So if you don't want him then why were you at his house last night?" She raised a brow and stared at me, waiting for my answer.  
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, "I don't have time for this." I turned my back on her and walked to English. She got what she wanted, she got everything she wanted, so why was she making this so much worse?

"How did you do with that quiz? It seriously kicked my ass." Leah frowned to herself as she walked to lunch with me.  
I shrugged, "It wasn't that bad. I thought it went pretty well actually."  
"Well well well...Rosalie's found a new crowd to hang with." Bella stopped in front of us, Renata and Jessica behind her, refusing to let us by.  
"Who are you?" Leah raised a brow in question and looked my enemy up and down.  
Bella smirked and flicked her hair out of her eyes. Jessica cleared her throat, "She's Bella."  
Leah smiled sweetly and nodded, "Right, yeah. I know now. You're the bitch who slept with Alec."  
I almost choked. She what?  
Bella's face reddened, Renata's mouth opened and Jessica, well she was too busy texting to notice anything.  
"How...how did you find out about that?" Bella's voice was barely above a whisper.  
"You might wanna tell your friends with benefits crowd not to open their mouths." Leah smiled again and took my arm, taking me into the cafeteria.  
"How did you know that?" I mumbled, taking my seat by Leah.  
She laughed and shrugged, "I didn't. I just wanted to annoy her."  
I gaped at her and shook my head, "You were just playing her?"  
She nodded. I wondered if Edward even had a clue.

"Are you going to start packing?" Alice dumped a handful of clothes into a box and glanced in my direction. I shook my head. I didn't want to.  
"We're moving next week, Rosalie."  
"Yes I know Alice, how could I forget with everyone reminding me all the time." I rubbed my forehead and closed my eyes. Two days ago I was ready to leave, I wanted to leave. But now, I wasn't so sure. It always came down to the same thing, the reason I didn't want to leave. Edward.  
Alice sat the box by the door and frowned, "You're not the only one that doesn't want to leave." She closed the door behind her, leaving me alone and feeling like shit.

All I heard in this house was talk of California and summer and sunshine and making new friends. I was sick of it. Alice was young, she would make friends as soon as we got off the plane, but I was different. I was never good at making new friends. I was always the one who waited until I was approached. Not confident, shy and self conscious.

Last day of school.  
I should be bouncing off the walls, giddy with excitement. But instead I sat in the gym, watching the cheerleaders and basketball players.  
It was all so bittersweet. An ending. A goodbye. Bella stayed away after her and Leah's showdown and part of me was relieved. But I thought maybe she'd try and say goodbye. I was leaving. She was my best friend but now it's like I'm dead to her.  
"Leaving tomorrow then?"  
I sighed and hugged myself, "Yep."  
"I hope you'll find happiness."  
My eyes narrowed, "Yeah, right. Once I'm gone no one will even remember I attended this high school."  
"That's not true."  
"Didn't you tell me I wouldn't be missed?" I turned and faced him. His eyes were rimmed red and he held a small smile.  
"Yeah. But I didn't say I wouldn't miss you, precious girl."  
My heart was in my throat and I couldn't stop the tears pooling my eyes. I couldn't do this. I couldn't say goodbye to him. It seemed so final.  
"You'll be okay. I promise." He kissed my forehead and stood, "Be great, Rosalie." And with that, he left, taking my heart with him.

Alice bounced on my bed to wake me up, "We're moving today!"  
I groaned and forced myself into a sitting position, "Yeah, what time is it?"  
She grinned, "Six."  
I sighed and threw my covers off me and went downstairs, "The flight is at eleven, is there anyone you need to see before we go to the airport?" My mom took a sip of her coffee and smiled at me. I nodded, "One person. I have to see him before we leave. I have to say goodbye."  
My mom narrowed her eyes but smiled anyway, "Okay, I'll drop you off."

I slowly approached the front door and knocked lightly. I wasn't sure why I wanted to come here but I knew deep down, it was the right thing to door opened and a frowned crossed his features, "Rose?"  
"I've came to say goodbye. I'm moving to California with my mum and Al."  
For a moment he looked sad but that quickly disappeared, "Okay."  
"Don't try and contact me or Alice. We're done with you. I just thought we should say goodbye for the last time."  
He cleared his throat and nodded, "Im sorry."  
I gave a small smile and began to walk away, "Me too."

"The exits are here, here and here." I didn't pay much attention to the stewardess on the plane, her high pitched voice gave me a migraine.  
"Who did you see before we came here?" Alice looked up at me, clutching a teddy bear. Flying scared her apparently.  
I turned my head back to the window and shrugged, "No one."  
The plane began to turn and that's when I noticed him, hands in his pockets, looking sombre as ever. I had the strength to do this now, to let someone go, especially when he wasn't even mine to begin with. Then I noticed her, arm linked with his. She came too. I smiled softly and took a deep breath. She came. It wasn't perfect and it wasn't painless, but it was honest.  
Our precious goodbye.


	19. Goodbye, Hello

Twenty two and alone.  
Twenty two and desperate.  
Twenty two and alcoholic.

Fuck knows how my life turned out this way. My mom and dad moved to New York two years ago. My brother stayed here, got a house, bought a cat. Loser.  
Twenty two and still trying to mend the ache in my heart.  
The clock stuck midnight and a low growl escaped me. It's her birthday.  
I had never been able to let her go. I never got a chance to tell her how I feel, I never got to kiss her one last time.

_"I'm going to the airport."  
"Why?" Her tone was like daggers. She should have some fucking compassion.  
"Because I want to say goodbye to her. You should too."_  
_She rolled her eyes and sighed, "Fine. Whatever."  
She tried to reach for my hand but I refused, "Bella we're done. You know that."  
"I said I was sorry, Edward."  
She couldn't be serious. "Sorry doesn't change anything. Did you honestly think that I wouldn't find out?"  
Her eyes began to water. I had no time for fucking crocodile tears, "Get your ass in the car. My mom is driving us."_

_Of course, she was already on the plane. Just my fucking luck. I hadn't been able to sleep the night before. I wanted to call her but I knew if I did, I'd beg her to stay and she didn't need that grief.  
"It seems so final now." Bella whispered. To my surprise, she was crying.  
I nodded and stared through the window at the plane. I swallowed my heart and watched it take off.  
I found nothing but emptiness and sadness. She was gone.  
"I'm gonna miss her."  
"Really? You'll miss her? Or will you miss teasing her and making her feel like shit?" I shrugged her hand off me and turned on my heel, leaving her standing. We were done. I was done. No_ _more games_.

I picked up my phone and sighed. Should I call her? Every year for seven years I had wanted to. Just to hear her voice.  
Sighing, I lifted the almost empty bottle of whiskey from the coffee table and drank the last of it. It wasn't long before I passed out.

"My god brother, when was the last time you done some spring cleaning?" Emmett towered over me, shaking his head.  
I squinted up at him and cleared my throat, "What do you want?" My voice was hoarse and sore.  
"Get your drunken ass up and take a shower."  
I closed my eyes and sighed, "Give me one reason why the fuck I should?"  
Emmett chuckled and hit me with a cushion, "Because I'm your big brother and I told you to. Come on, get up!"  
And so I did. I showered, dressed and went back to the had cleaned up and was sitting reading the paper, cup of coffee in his hand. "You need to stop doing this to yourself." He muttered. I sat on the couch across from him and chewed my lip, "I know." He raised a brow and glanced at me over his paper, "Do you?" I rubbed my forehead. Of course I knew. I can't remember how it all began spiralling out of control. Maybe it was when I decided I had nothing to live for. Maybe it was when my mother got diagnosed. Maybe it was when I realised my idiot big brother had a better life than me. Or maybe it was them all.

High school changed for me after Rosalie left. When I turned sixteen I decided I had a life to live, girls to fuck, places to see. Rosalie would forget about me and in time maybe I would forget about her. But that never happened. Each meaningless girl I'd been with just reminded me how empty my life was. Adults never understood. 'Young love' hardly ever lasts. And maybe I was still keeping a hold on what could have been, still living in the past and looking to the future. But even as a kid I knew my future was with her. "So...why are you here?" "Because, guess who came back to town?" He sat the paper down and smirked at me. "Ugh, Bella? I thought she moved to Florida with Alec?" "She did." I got confused, "I'm not following, Em..." He chuckled and stood, "Lets go."

And so we drove to my old high school. Got out of the car and took a little stroll through the bleak halls.  
"Why are we here?"  
"I think you know."  
We stopped outside a classroom.  
"Well well..." Emmett chuckled and placed a hand on my shoulder.  
I heard her familiar voice and I felt like I could breathe.  
"Please stop doodling on your notebook, Mr Gold."  
She was back.


	20. Goodbye, Hello pt 2

_What if I wanted to fight  
Beg for the rest of my life  
What would you do?_

I leaned against the lockers and waited for the the bell to ring, dismissing the classes. My stomach was in knots. Should I go and speak to her? Would she want to see me? Would she even fucking recognise me?  
I closed my eyes and tapped my foot on the floor. How long? How long until the bell goes? It felt like forever but eventually the shrill bell rang and students spilled out on the corridor.  
I wasn't due here until five, but a few students nodded in my direction, saying hello.  
Another deep breath.  
Here we go.  
I opened the door slowly and knocked, stepping into the classroom. Her back was to me, she was writing something on the chalkboard, "If you're here for detention take a seat." She muttered.  
I stood, rooted to the spot, "Actually, I'm not."  
She turned then and her eyes met mine. Her mouth opened and closed. She was lost for words, just like me.  
"Uh, hi." She sounded surprised to see me, surprised but happy.  
I smirked, "Hi." She looked almost the same. Her blonde hair was brighter and her violent eyes were even more beautiful than I could remember. My stomach twisted with nerves. Was she seeing someone? Was she still angry with me? _'Stop being a pussy, Edward'. _  
She sat the chalk on her desk and wiped her hands together, "What are you doing here?" She avoided looking at me, looking at everything but me.  
I chuckled and sat on one of the student's desks, "I heard you were back in town. Emmett told me. When did you get back?"  
"Oh." She smiled and shrugged, "Last week. I got offered the teaching position here and since this place is home I decided to take it."  
I nodded and crossed my arms across my chest, "Were you ever going to tell me you were back or were you just waiting for us to accidentally cross paths?"  
Her smile vanished and she sat down at her desk, "I didn't think I had to tell you anything, Edward. We aren't friends. I don't owe you anything."  
She'd gotten bitchy. Her words stung though, I must admit.  
The classroom door opened and in came one of the basketball players, "Hi Miss Hale," He glanced at me, "Coach Cullen." He took a seat at the back of the class and sighed.  
Rosalie raised a brow at me, "Coach Cullen?"  
I smiled, "Oh, didn't you know? I'm the physical education teacher." I lifted myself off the desk and smirked, "I'll be seeing you." I closed the door on my way out and headed outside. That could have went better. So much fucking better.

"So how did it go?"  
I shrugged and cut my burger in half, "Okay, I guess. She seemed happy to see me."  
Emmett shovelled food into his mouth, "So did you tell her that you're the P.E teacher?"  
I nodded and sighed, "Yeah. She wasn't too happy though. I asked her why she didn't tell me she was back and she made this whole fuss over how we weren't friends." God, I sounded like a hormonal teenage girl.  
Emmett chuckled, "What did you expect? It's not like she was gonna run to you with open arms."  
"I guess not." I muttered, taking a sip of my Pepsi, "I just thought she'd be happier than this, yknow?" Emmett frowned and sat his fork down, "Maybe she is, maybe she was just hiding it. You know what girls are like." I nodded. Maybe he was right. Or maybe he was totally and completely wrong.

"Hey! Pick it up! I don't have time to watch you slugs try and pick up the pace." Work was a drag. Don't get me wrong, I loved it, but I wish it didn't last as long. I blew my whistle and sighed. I hated high school kids. "Go get changed."  
"But coach-"  
"I said, go and get changed. Practise is over." I narrowed my eyes and the kid who dared speak up and watched as he nodded and sulked off to the locker room.  
"Uh, Coach?"  
I turned and frowned, "Mr. Newton, what can I do for you?" Mike Newton's kid. He'd got married to Jessica, she spat this thing out and now I have to coach it. I know, it's terrible to think so badly of the students you're teaching. But who cares?  
"I need tomorrow night's practise off."  
I raised a brow and smirked, "And why would that be?"  
He scuffed his feet on the gym floor and sighed, "I just need it off."  
I rolled my eyes, "Fine. Whatever. Go get changed." Fucking kids.

I pushed open the gym doors and made my way through the school. It was eerie at night, scary and cold. I frowned, noticing that Rosalie's classroom light was on. I knocked and opened the door quietly. "Burning the midnight oil?"  
She scoffed, "Hardly. It's only eight o'clock." She straightened up some loose paper and smiled at me, "How did practise go?" I shrugged and leaned against the door, "Shit. I'm surprise half of these kids are even on the team. They can't make a free throw to save themselves." I shook my head and stared down at the floor.  
Rosalie rolled her eyes and sighed, "You've not changed, have you?" My eyes snapped up to her moving form. She stood, picked up her bag and made her way to the door, "The kids are just looking for a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Some of them may not even like Basketball, but they just need an escape. Ever thought of it that way, Coach?"  
Bitch.  
But she was an insightful bitch.

Flicking through the channels was boring me. There was nothing on the t.v anymore.  
The phone began to ring and I sighed, reaching over to pick it up, "Hello?"  
"Edward, its your dad." He sounded worried, distraught.  
"Hey, what's going on?" My voice was thick with concern.  
"Its your mom. The cancer...its back."  
Fucking fabulous. What else could possibly go wrong?  
"Okay. I'm gonna fly out tomorrow."  
"No! Don't. She'll just worry about you. Just stay in Forks and I'll keep you updated, son. She doesn't want any hassle." Was he fucking serious?  
"Does Emmett know?" I asked.  
He sighed down the phone, "Yes. He pretty much had the same impulse as you...to fly out here."  
"Tell mom I love her."  
"I will do, son."  
I sat the phone down and put my head in my hands. This couldn't be happening. Not again.

"Fade away! Williams!" I blew my whistle and watched as the team slugishly made their way over to me, "What the hell was that?!"  
"I'm sorry, Coach..I just-"  
"I'll tell you what that was. Weak. It was weak! Laps! Now!" They slowly began to run, back and forth along the gym. Why was I wasting my time with this?  
"Ever get the feeling they don't care about this game?"  
I turned and rolled my eyes, "Why Miss Hale, how lovely of you to watch my practise."  
Rosalie laughed and set her eyes on the running idiots, "Practise? Okay then."  
I sighed and climbed up the bleachers, sitting next to her, "What do you want?"  
"I brought you coffee." She grinned and handed me a to go cup.  
I frowned, "I thought you said we weren't friends." I took the coffee regardless.  
"Yeah. But we're collegues." She smiled again and took a sip of her own coffee and watched my team do their laps, "I never understood this game." She mumbled.  
"That's because you're a girl."  
She gaped at me, "Don't be so sexist! My sister happens to adore this game."  
I raised my eyebrows, "Really? Have her try out for the team. She'd probably do better than these jackasses."  
A sigh from her, "You're too hard on them."  
Anger.  
"I'm too hard on them? Listen, you don't know a thing about my coaching. You've only just got back, so don't you dare come into my gym and dictate how I should coach, okay?"  
She stood, "I made a bet with myself that you wouldn't still be a dick. I guess I lose." And with that, she left the gym.  
Fabulous. Just fucking great.  
I stood, blew the whistle, "Go get changed."

I knew I should go and apologise to her. I knew I should, but I hated admitting defeat. I hated admitting when I was wrong.  
But I did it anyway, my tail between my legs.  
"I want to apologise for yesterday."  
She looked up from her marking and bit her lip, "For yesterday? When you were a complete douche to me?"  
I nodded.  
"Oh, that's okay. Don't worry about it." She waved her hand at me and went back to her marking, "We never did get to catch up." She muttered. She was right.  
"Yeah, I know." I sat on one of the desks and looked around the classroom, "So..."  
"What have you been doing with yourself?" She asked.  
I shrugged, "After high school, I went to College and got a job here."  
She nodded and moved to mark another paper, "I'm happy for you. How's Bella?"  
I scoffed. Was she serious? "I don't know."  
Rosalie sat her pen down and looked up at me, "What?"  
"We broke up the day before you left. She moved to Florida with Alec." I shrugged it off, hoping to change the subject.  
"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't know."  
"Yeah. It's okay. That was seven years ago. A lot has changed."  
She nodded and picked up her pen to continue marking.  
"What about you? What were you doing?"  
She laughed and shook her head, "Well, after many tantrums about moving to Orange County, I got enrolled in Elmodena High School and then went to CSULA." She smiled up at me and clasped her hands together, "And then I got a job here."  
I nodded, "Did you like it? California?"  
She shrugged, "It didn't feel like home to me."  
"And this place does?" I chuckled.  
She nodded and leaned back in her seat, "It does."  
There was an awkward silence for a few moments before she finally said, "I missed you, Edward."  
I smirked, "I missed you too, Rosalie."


	21. The Night Before the Morning After

**ROSALIE**

Fucking alarm clocks. I hate them.  
I squinted, there was too much sun.  
Reaching over, I silenced the annoyance and turned over. I closed my eyes, hoping to get more sleep but I felt movement next to me. My eyes sprung open just as his eyes widened.  
"What the fuck?!" I shot up and stumbled out of bed, "What are you doing here? In my bed?"  
Edward chuckled and stretched, "You don't remember what happened last night, do you?"  
I shook my head. An overwhelming pain shot through my hand and I cursed under my breath. What did happen last night?

_24 hours ago.._

"I'm not happy about it." I muttered under my breath.  
"Neither am I, but I thought you might like to come. Help me chaperone." Edward grinned as he made himself comfortable in my classroom.  
Did he ever give up?  
"You want me to sit in a sweaty, crowded bus just so your players can throw a ball about a gym?"  
"Didn't you tell me that it was more than just a game to them?" He smirked and crossed his arms, "And besides, Julie will be there too and the cheerleaders."  
"Oh yeah, that's making it so much better." I mumbled sourly.  
"You don't want to go because i'll be there." He shook his head and chuckled, "How very childish, Rosalie."  
I held my hand up and sighed, "No. That's not it, I'm just not getting why I have to go. All the way to Washington for a basket ball game."  
"Not just a game." He frowned. He was going to keep throwing that in y face, wasn't he?  
Defeated, I agreed.  
"We leave tonight. At six." He stood up and smiled, "I'll see you then." He closed the door behind him leaving me annoyed and unsure.

"Now, I know some of you are leaving tonight for Washington, but this assignment is just as important as the game." I handed out question sheets to my students, hoping that at least one of them would do their homework.  
"With all due respect miss, I don't think we'll have time to do this." Trevor Martin glanced up at me, holding his sheet in front of him.  
I smiled, "Trust me, you'll have time." I walked back to my desk and sat down, "I know many of you think high school is pointless, you don't understand why you have to come here everyday, engage in pointless topics and equations when in reality you're never going to use them. But trust me, this is where it starts for most of you. Your life is being shaped right at this moment. Your grades can and will determine wether you get a good job or not."  
Jessica Stanley's daughter, Claire, raised her hand, "What did you want to be? Like, when you were in high school?"  
I smiled, "Honestly, I didn't know what I wanted to be. I knew I wanted to help people, make a difference but, I was never set on a career path. Right now, you should be focusing on your work and what you hope to be, and work toward that. Sometimes second chances don't always become available."  
Maybe I should practise what I preach.

"Ah, you made it!" Edward grinned as he threw his luggage into the bus.  
I nodded and handed him my bag, "I did."  
He turned to me, "Good. Sit next to me on the bus?" He chuckled and winked at me before getting on.  
I groaned, I really should have refused to do this.  
Before the bus took off, Coach Cullen had a few things to say to the basketball team and cheerleaders, "No drinking! No sneaking out! No sex! No staying up late! Do you understand me? All you have to be fresh and alert for tomorrow nights game, and I will not have a team of hungover teenagers."  
"Yes coach!"  
Then bus took off.  
"Why were you so against coming?" Edward asked, he was too busy looking out of the window to pay attention to the bus full of minors.  
I shrugged, "I've been teaching at the school for just two weeks, I didn't think I was ready to chaperone something." I gave a nervous giggle and brushed the hair out of my face.  
Edward rolled his eyes, "It's really not that hard. They just sit about and pretty much do nothing."  
"Then why the long speech before?"  
He chuckled, "Nothing wrong with taking precautions."  
"I guess not."

I threw my bag down on my bed and sighed. This was going to be a long night. I prayed that the students wouldn't get up to no good, I really didn't have the energy to deal with it.  
Six o'clock. A gentle knock on the door caused my head to turn. Three guesses who that would be.  
I slowly made my way over to the door to answer it, "What now, Edward?"  
He grinned childishly and handed me a coupon, "Free drinks at the bar across the street. You interested?"  
I took the coupon and studied it carefully, "I suppose. It'll get me out of here for a few hours."  
At eight, I met Edward downstairs. Part of me was glad I had something to do, even if it was with him and part of me would rather be up in that hotel room eating chocolate and drinking pop.  
"Let's go." He led me across to the bar.  
"Grand Slam Sports Bar? Wow, you really do know how to please a girl." I mumbled sarcastically. He chuckled anyway and sat on one of the barstools.  
"What does it matter what the name of the bar is? It's alcohol." He held up his whiskey and smirked before downing it.  
I rolled my eyes and took a sip of my vodka, "So are you nervous for tomorrow night's game?"  
"No...well yeah, the team hasn't one a game in like two years, so you could say I'm a bit on edge." He ordered another whiskey for himself and smiled at the blonde barmaid who's tits were practically falling out of her skimpy red top. Whore.  
I narrowed my eyes at her, an overwhelming sense of jealousy washed over me. Why was he looking at her like that?  
"Rose?" Edward nudged me gently.  
"Hmmm? What?"  
He laughed lightly, "Are you missing Forks yet?"  
I nodded and eyed the barmaid again, "You have no idea."


	22. I Could Love You

**EDWARD**

Maybe it was cruel of me to do this, but I liked how jealous she got. It was cute.  
"You'll be back in Forks soon enough." I reminded her.  
She nodded and took another sip of her drink, "I guess so."  
"I thought you'd be accustomed to leaving it by now."  
Her eyes narrowed, "What's that supposed to mean?"  
I shrugged. It didn't matter anyway. I still hadn't got over her leaving to go to California.  
"Edward, answer me."  
I sighed, "You just didn't seem that effected when you moved to California..." I took a sip of my drink and decided to order a beer instead.  
The barmaid returned, smiling seductively at me. I handed her a twenty, buying Rose another drink as well and told the her to keep the change.  
"Why thank you." She bit her bottom lip and sauntered off.  
"Are you kidding me?" Rosalie sighed.  
I glanced at her, she seemed to have finished her vodka already.  
"What?"  
"Nothing. I'm going back to the hotel." She mumbled, picking up her bag.  
I nodded, "Let me walk you then."  
She sighed, defeated, "Fine."  
As soon as the cold air hit her, she began to march away from me. What the fuck did I do?  
"Rosalie." I gently jogged along side of her, trying to keep up.  
"Leave me alone." She growled.  
"What the hell is wrong with you?"  
She stopped walking and stared me down, "You. You're what's wrong with me."  
Puzzled, I said, "What do you mean?"  
"Do you honestly think it was easy for me to leave Forks? To leave you?" Her eyes had begun to water, and I stood there completely confused and awkward.  
"Um..."  
"Don't 'um' me. You know exactly what the fuck I'm talking about!" She marched off again, into the hotel. I followed her up to her room and stood in the doorway as she opened the mini fridge and started making a drink for herself.  
"I should go." I whispered.  
She turned, "Back to the bar? So you can see her?"  
"What the hell is wrong with you? Who's her? What the fuck are you talking about?!"  
She took a large gulp of her concoction and placed it on the table, "Edward. Do you honestly think I came back to Forks to be a fucking teacher?" She mumbled.  
"Yes?"  
Apparently that was the wrong answer because she flew at me, punching my chest as hard as she possibly could. I grabbed her wrists to stop her, "Stop it!" How the hell did this even happen?  
She relaxed under my grip and I released her, "You should go to bed."  
She nodded and turned her back to me, finishing off her drink, she poured another. I frowned.  
She downed it and then crawled into the bed, snuggling under the duvet.  
"I love you, Edward." She slurred as her eyes closed.  
Now it made sense.

I got into the bed beside her and watched her sleep until I eventually drifted off.  
I was wakened by her movements.  
"What the fuck?" She jumped up, "What are you doing here? In my bed?"  
I chuckled and stretched out, "You don't remember what happened last night, do you?"  
She shook her head and as she did she spotted the glass which contained her drinks from last night. She groaned and ran her hand through her messy hair, "Do I wanna know what happened?"  
I smirked.  
"Why does my hand hurt?" She whimpered.  
"Well, after you shouted at me you decided to attack me." I sat up and scratched my head.  
Her eyes widened, "I'm so sorry."  
"And you got a little jealous of the way I was looking at the barmaid."  
Rosalie snorted, "Jealous? No. I...I don't get jealous." She smiled smugly and looked away from me.  
Liar.  
"Really? Well after all of that commotion you told me you loved me."  
Her cheeks began to flush, "No I didn't." She whispered.  
"But you did." I got out of the bed and stretched again, "I should probably go to my own room now. I'll see you at the game." I made my way to the door.  
"Edward?" I turned. "When people are drunk...they tend to tell the truth." She whispered.  
I smiled. I loved it when she contradicted herself.


	23. Kill the Lights pt 1

Fucking useless students.  
I sat in the locker room myself, head in my hands. We had lost, again.  
"Hey."  
I looked up and gave a half hearted smile, "Hi."  
She sat down next to me and sighed, "We're packing up the bus. We're just waiting for you now."  
I nodded and glanced up at the ceiling.  
"There'll be other games." She mumbled.  
"I know." I stood and stalked out of the locker room. I wasn't in the mood.  
I got into the bus and the team fell silent, even the cheerleaders.  
"Coach, we tried our best."  
I nodded and sat down, Rosalie beside me.  
I was quiet for the duration of the journey back home.

**ROSALIE**

Finally, I was home.  
After the embarrassment of the night before I needed to be myself, just to sulk about how dumb I was at confessing my love. Ugh.  
I wandered to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of wine. I needed to unwind , relax.  
It had just past nine pm, I checked my voicemail.  
_"Hi honey, it's your mom. We're really missing you here in Cali. Alice got herself a boyfriend. His name is Jasper. Can you believe it? He's a nice guy. Anyway, gimme a call when you can. Love you" _  
I smiled and sat down on my couch. Jasper? I was happy for my sister. I decided to call them in the morning, I just couldn't be bothered listening to my mother ramble on and on about things at this time of night.  
I got to thinking of Edward. Would my confession end up with us being together? Or would he just brush it under the carpet and get on with his life? My stomach was in knots. I felt so fucking stupid.  
He barely even said goodbye to me when we came off the bus. I put it down to him being pissed about losing the game, but I wasn't so sure.  
Thank God it was the weekend.

"So, how is your job? Are you finding it okay?" My mom asked me on the phone the next morning.  
"Yeah, it's actually really enjoyable. The kids are great, they're all very welcoming."  
"Oh that's good, isn't it? Has Forks changed much?"  
I rolled my eyes, "Not really. There's a new hardware store but that's about it." I hated small talk. My mother and I didn't really patch things up when we moved to California. We kept our distance from each other, spoke at dinner. But I resented her for the change and now, I didn't know how I felt.  
"Well, Alice is missing you terribly. I was thinking maybe during summer vacation she could fly out and stay with you, how does that sound?"  
"Yeah...but would she be okay with that? I mean Forks isn't exactly the most exotic place to go on Vacation."  
My mom sighed, "I know but it's better than nothing. Any old faces still there?"  
I chewed my lip, "Yeah. Edward Cullen."  
I could feel the tension from my mother over the phone, "I never liked that boy. I hope he's being nice to you."  
"Mom, he's the P.E teacher at the school and he's changed an awful lot since we moved. He's...different."  
"Whatever Rosalie, people don't change. You should know that by now, especially after everything we went through with your father. Have you went to see him?"  
I really wanted to avoid this subject as much as possible but I could see that was inevitable now, "No, I haven't. I don't want to."  
"He's your father, Rosalie."  
"Yeah, mom, I have to go. I'll call you later okay?"  
I never did call her back.

Killing time, like I always did. Killing two birds with one stone, like I never did.

"Sooooo."  
"What?" I glanced up from my coffee and set my eyes on his tired face.  
"Are we gonna talk about what happened when we were gone?" He sat across from me and crossed his arms. That wasn't a very comforting approach.  
I shrugged, "Do you want to talk about it?" Playing coy, that never worked for me.  
He smirked, "It would be nice. You see I need some things explained."  
I nodded slowly, I wasn't sure if I wanted to get into this.  
"For example, I thought we weren't friends, therefore we couldn't be more than friends?"  
I sighed, "We're not going to be more than friends, Edward. And we're..."  
"What?"  
"Complicated." I breathed.  
"Really? How so?" He raised a brow and studied me carefully. I felt under pressure, "You know, with our history and stuff."  
"Didn't anyone tell you that the past is in the past?" He questioned.  
I sighed and looked down at the table, "I just...maybe need some time to think things through."  
He nodded and stood up, "Time granted." And then he walked away.  
Well, that could have went better.


End file.
